Code: KINGDOM
by PrettyPurr
Summary: (AU Duelist Kingdom) A world without hate was something the prince dreamed of. Motivated by his mother's death, Prince Jaden attempts to take the kingdom away from his reigning father and ascend to the throne. However he received a little more than he bargained for, especially from his beautiful knight and his childhood best friend. Rated T for suggestive themes.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

Our story takes place in Duelist Kingdom, a place in an alternate dimension where both humans and Duel Monsters can co-exist as one. A place filled with mystery, treasures, and forbidden secrets.

Darkness occupied the halls of a large castle, as only screams could be heard. Inside the castle, was a large room, where a ritual was being held in what appeared to be a library. Ten cloaked figures were surrounding a small, boy with tanned skin, shoulder length navy blue hair, and the most beautiful, yet piercing teal eyes. The boy appeared to be nearly naked with a loin cloth as stood in the center, while being overseen by a tall, muscular man. A man known as King Victor, 98th ruler of the Duelist Kingdom.

"I-It hurts…" muttered the boy, as he felt electrical shocks enter his slender body.

"You must continue, for the sake of my son." Spoke the king. "For all of the kingdom."

Prayers were being heard from the cloaked figures, creating a red aura that surrounding the boy. As the chanting continued, the boy continued to experience the electrical shock directed into his body. The pain was more than anything he ever endured; his screams were louder and his movements were more ecstatic. The chanting become louder and the king held a script before he began to read it word by word.

"Dragon's Soul...please accept this young host...who will be dedicating his body and soul for all eternity. He will be blessed with your immortal ability, almighty power for his young and holy body. Make this boy...the essence of power...Dragon's Soul.." commanded the king.

What appears to be a large lightning bolt crashed its way into the boy, which actually led to his death. His lifeless, body was now laying on the ground and the red aura disappeared. The king instructed his followers to stop chanting with a simple motion from his hand. He glared at the now lifeless, corpse wondering if his "experiment" worked.

Suddenly the lifeless body was surrounded by the same red aura from the ritual. The body was now changing...it was growing taller, stronger, more...demonic looking. The king's eyes widened as he grew more and more amazed by this...the once beautiful, young boy..was now being transformed into a demon with pink skin, multicolored eyes and hair, with large wings.

The king approached the transformed boy, still amazed by the result of this known, forbidden ritual. A ritual he could now declare successful.

"Yubel, your new task is to protect my son...as long as he shall live.." spoke the king.

Yubel kneeled in the presence of the king, remembering etiquette as a servant of the king. A smile graced "her" lips of the brand new body Yubel was reborn in.

"Yes, your majesty. I live to protect..the young prince."

All unaware of a frightened young brunette boy hiding behind the door, tragically witnessing the entire event.

After the night of the ritual, a young prince sadly overlooked his kingdom from the balcony. He was known as Prince Jaden, the heir to the kingdom and the one who would guide it someday. A young boy with his skin lightly tanned, his eyes were a chocolate color, and his fluffy brown hair had a tip of auburn on the top. He wore royal garbs accompanied by a long, red cape that showed his high status. He was known for being an energetic, joyful spirit, however he was deeply saddened and quite concerned for his friend Yubel after witnessing last night's ritual.

"You wanted to see me..your majesty?" asked a soothing, feminine voice.

Jaden turned around, seeing his best friend now in a whole different body. The once human boy was now a female duel monster wearing black skin tight meant a lot to the prince;

the two would eat, play, and even bathe together. They were practically family.

"You know this doesn't change anything, Yubel. You can always call me Jaden. I'm your friend." replied the prince, giving a slight smile. "So...why did you do it?"

"This was to protect you, your- I mean Jaden." Yubel answered. "You know I made a promise to protect you from anything...ever since your fair mother adopted me in my human form..ever since..I met you."

"..My father didn't put you up to this, right?"

Yubel shook her head. "I wanted to, Jaden." she said with a smile. "I love you, we're best friends and ever since the terrorist attack on your mother that day, I wanted to make extra precautions to keep you safe. What more could I do than to give myself an "improvement"?"

"Still..you didn't have to go through that for me…" said Jaden.

"You don't like my appearance, is that it?!" she hissed, still feeling insecure about her new look.

Jaden's eyes widened. "No no, I think you look great!" he defended, making the demon blush. The prince gave a smile. "In fact..you look really cool as a monster! You're always going to be my best friend, Yubel, no matter what you look like."

His words touched the demon in a warm, soothing way. "Jaden…" She whispered.

"Besides, we can still duel right?" he asked, tilting his head to the side.

Yubel giggled at his innocence. "Same old Jaden...of course we can still duel! I still have my arms, don't I?"

Jaden grinned. "Great! Wanna duel now?" he asked like a hyperactive kid.

"I'm afraid we can't right now." Yubel disagreed. "Your father will be calling for breakfast soon and you know how he feels when you're late."

Jaden shrugged. "Me and the old man never really talk unless it's for royal business, you know this." he replied. The prince released a loud, irritated sign. "Fine..later, alright?"

Yubel smiled. "That's the spirit!" getting a smile from the prince. Suddenly Jaden's expression turned serious as he stared out into the sunrise, sparking Yubel's curiosity.

"Yubel, I want you to promise me something."

"A-Anything, Jaden."

"I want you to promise me..to never lie to me..never keep any secrets from me." said Jaden. "I want us to promise each other this…"

Yubel hesitated, but then gave an affirmed nod. She wanted to do anything for the young boy. She felt as if she was born solely to serve the prince. "Of course...but what made you bring this whole thing up?"

"Well…someday, when I become king...I want to do things differently than what my father is doing. Terrorist attacks and crimes have increased...war has been a big subject through my father, this all lead to my mother's demise. I want to create a world with no lies...no secrets...no death..in fact..we could rejoin the dead...I could see my mother again..we could all see our dead loved ones." he answered, wiping away any tears he formed. "The world is too harsh...we could make this dream into reality...I'll find a way..I'll play god himself if I have to."

"You have such wide ideas for such a small child." Yubel commented, giving a chuckle. While noble, it was quite unrealistic, but Yubel didn't have a heart to tell him so. However judging by the prince's expression and tone of voice...he really was serious. His mother's assassination still troubled him. Memories of a chandelier being purposely dropped onto the queen, killing her, devastated Jaden..to make things worst, the prince witnessed the whole thing.

"But..if it means so much to you...I'll do whatever I can.." she added.

Jaden turned wide eyed. "Y-You...you mean it?" he asked. Yubel nodded, causing the boy to tightly hug the demon. Yubel blushed deeply, returning the embrace possessively. She felt honored to be the prince's closest friend, yet..it didn't feel enough for her. She wanted more...a lot more. Jaden was still a child and romance didn't interest him, but who's to say it couldn't change.

"I feel like I'm breaking our promise by keeping my feelings a secret…" Yubel thought. "Oh well...who's to say..I'll never tell him someday?" she added mentally, giving a sly smirk as she continued to hug the young boy until the prince was then called for breakfast.

To be continued….


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Years later after the promise, both Prince Jaden and Yubel continued to keep their ideas alive and well. The young prince felt optimistic for the future, he would do the thing many would believe to be impossible. His ideas would be recognized and thanked by all of life throughout the dimension. Speaking of the prince, Jaden's appearance changed as a young adult. His hair was longer, more spiked and pronounced. He was also taller and his features were more sharp, giving him a more mature look. This was something Yubel and the other women in the kingdom took notice of.

"Good morning, father." Jaden greeted as he entered the dining room.

The king gave a small nod. "My son, sit." he commanded. "We will begin breakfast and talk about some…royal matters alone."

Yubel took the cue immediately. "Yes, your majesty." said Yubel, removing herself from the room. Jaden sighed and sat down at the large table; delicious breakfast cuisine was immediately served in front of him by servants.

"So Jaden.." the king started. "Sir Jesse, will be returning quite soon."

The prince's eyes widened. "Jesse's coming? Wow...it's been years..guess being the number one knight in the kingdom keeps you busy."

"Our kingdom is also welcoming a new member to be one of the Knights of Dragon." said the king. "It is an honor to be selected into the group and only five members are welcomed. These knights are on another league, even higher than the generals, and we will be throwing a party honoring these brave individuals.

Jaden swallowed a bit of his breakfast before speaking. "Do you know much about the new member?" he asked.

The king sipped his tea. "She's a very influential woman from the Cyber Mountains, so she is not of any nobility or power. She achieved the highest of scores and even Sir Jesse considered her to be a worthy opponent. Her only family known to be alive is her older brother. She will be attending the party along with the other members."

"Sounds pretty impressive." Jaden commented before sipping some juice. "I'm sure she'll be amazing."

"Speaking of women…I'm getting up to that age, my son." said the King. "You will be king in the future."

Jaden paused. "Well du- I mean, yes father, I understand perfectly." he corrected. "I think I knew it my whole life."

"So you should start thinking about the future, but before any heirs can be produced...you will need a wife."The king explained.

Jaden's face turned a bright shade of red, even more so than his cape. "A-A wife? Gee...I don't know much about women.."

"You will learn more in time, I gave you.."the talk" already. Men and women are designed for one another, Jaden. " the king replied, giving a small smirk. "You and her will parent the greatest of children to become wise, determined conquerors. Start thinking about the future, son! I'm going to invite some of the nobles' daughters to the party, so you may socialize."

"But-"

"It has been finalized, now leave so the servants may clear up the table." the king commanded before leaving the dining room, along with a couple of guards behind him.

"A husband...a father…"

The young prince sighed and made sure to thank the servants for the meal before leaving the dining room. Yubel was then spotted outside, leaning on the wall with her arms folded. She gave a concerned look as she saw the prince's saddened face.

"Everything okay, Jaden?" she asked.

"Well...my old man brought up.." he blushed. "Er...producing an heir."

Yubel's eyes widened. "J-Jaden, what are you saying…?"

"He wants me to find a bride, Yubel…"

Jaden started.

After explaining the meeting, Yubel felt completely shocked and deep down, quite angered at the thought of Jaden married to another woman. Yubel despised other women, believing them as competition for the prince's attention.

"T-That's terrible!" Yubel replied. "Is your father mad?! How could he?!"

"I know. Girls are confusing...er no offense, Yubel." Said Jaden. "Besides I'd rather duel and go on adventures than get married."

Yubel could only sigh. Jaden was never into the romance scene and everyone knew it, but she had hope. Even the clueless like Jaden may be able to change.

"So what are you going to do?" Yubel questioned. "I mean, you know a family is a big responsibility! I'm not sure if you could handle that yet."

"I have to do it. It's tradition. I'm not gonna live forever and I can't go out without knowing I'll have an heir.." The prince replied. "Guess I'll have to meet these women my father wants to invite...just great.." he groaned.

Jaden had experienced meeting some of the noble's' daughters in the past; all were pretty yet "completely nuts" in their own way. The only reason they wanted to marry the prince was for his status and wealth. Besides, the only love he had was for dueling and eating, but mostly dueling. However even Jaden knew that he had to prepare to be the future king soon.

The prince yawned. "Anyways, I'm going to take a bath, then maybe I'll take a nap."

"Do you need me to draw you a bath?" Yubel asked immediately.

"Uh...no thanks? I can draw my own bath." Jaden replied before walking away.

The demon decided to follow him to his room. "B-but you need the water to be the perfect temperature." She persisted.

The prince let out a small chuckle. "Are you going to chew my food for me next? Yubel, I'm fine, not helpless. I just need alone time anyways." Said Jaden. "This is a lot to take in." He added before arriving to his bedroom, closing the door gently which left Yubel outside her room alone.

Yubel growled slightly, feeling enraged at the king. She didn't want this day to come, but she expected it..

"Mark my words….I will not allow any woman to take away my Jaden...he's mine..and MINE alone…"

Days later, the ballroom was packed with people, food, and alcohol as the king planned. This was known to celebrate the a prestige group called the Knights of the Dragon and their "newest member".

The prince sighed, having to talk to the nobles'' daughters was a hassle; all they'd do was just throw themselves at him, much to Yubel's chagrin.

The pink skinned demon made sure to stay very close to the prince, eavesdropping those "snobby bimbos" as she called them. She was even tempted to kill some of more aggressive ones. Luckily the prince would act distant towards them, while still finding a way to be polite.

"When will this end?" Jaden groaned.

"Patience, my prince...have patience." Yubel hissed, glaring at the women in the room. "How about I bring a drink to calm your nerves?"

"I could use a drink honestly.."

Yubel smiled. "Then it's settled!" She cheered before leaving the prince alone. Jaden decided to sit on the throne, his eyes ventured along the ballroom.

"Geez..so many people..looks like father spared no expense.."

"Your highness?!" Called out a familiar voice. Jaden looked up and saw a man with medium length spiky hair that was teal; he was also dressed in a neat blue and white military uniform, influenced by the Obelisk Blue uniforms.

"Jesse?! Jesse, is that you?" Jaden called out his dear friend he hasn't seen in years. Finally the prince could enjoy this party, catching up with him. "Stay right there, I'm coming to you!"

The prince exited the throne and walked down a short fleet of stairs before landing on ground. He started to head towards his friend, but found something in the corner of his eye. That something was a woman accidentally slipping on what appears to be someone's spilled drink on the ground. The prince immediately turned his attention towards this, nearly seeing the fear in that woman's eyes as she was slightly in midair.

Jaden rushed over quickly to the woman; just before she was about to fall on the floor, he immediately caught her in his arms securely. The king and guests gasped while Yubel dropped a glass cup onto the floor, triggering her jealousy.

"Are you okay…?" The prince whispered to the young woman.

"I-I think so…" she replied.

To be continued..


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

The prince huffed and puffed softly, continuing to hold the woman in his arms. "Good…" He muttered. He couldn't help but gaze at her a bit; the woman had milk colored skin, soft looking hazel eyes, and long locks of long blond hair in a high up ponytail. She was slim, yet had a full bust and slightly wide hips. She also wore a military styled Obelisk Blue uniform, but instead of trousers she wore a blue mini skirt as part of the female uniform.

Both the prince and woman blushed lightly before the prince helped her regain balance. The woman turned around and gave a bow. "I thank you, your majesty." She thanked before suddenly running off, without another word.

"Alexis! Are you okay? Wait up!" Called out her dear older brother Atticus, a handsome stud with brown hair and eyes. The brother began to follow his sister while the prince couldn't help wonder what an interesting event this turned out to be.

"Everyone, let us resume the party!" The king called out. The guests return to their usual routine like nothing happened, except Jaden who felt lost in thought.

"Boy, some accident huh." Jesse chuckled as he approached the prince. "We should probably get that spill cleaned up before someone else falls."

"Uh..yeah sure." Jaden replied. He then gave a smile and the two men hugged. "I can't believe it, it's good to see you!"

"Thank you, my prince." The blue haired knight replied.

"Jesse, Jesse. You know you can call me Jaden." He argued. Jesse could only chuckle at that response; he was glad Jaden hasn't changed much over these past years.

"I know I'm just messin' with you, Jaden." Replied Jesse. "So, from what I saw, I'm guessing you met the newest member of the Knights of Dragon."

Jaden's brown eyes widened like saucers. "W-wait, that's the newest knight?!" He asked.

"Your father never told you?" Jesse asked.

"I-I mean he did...I just never thought I'd meet her like this." The prince blushed.

The knight only chuckled, "She's from Cyber Mountains so she's a commoner...she's actually a farmer's daughter if I remember correctly…she's also very fond of dueling."

"She is?" Jaden asked. "That's amazing! Hey maybe she'll duel me someday."

Jesse then smirked "Speaking of duels...you know I've improved since my travels."

Jaden grinned. "Hm? You say so?"

"Say? I know so. We definitely must duel as soon as we can." Said Jesse, holding out a hand.

The brown haired prince nodded, giving him a firm handshake of affirmation. The handshake was not like king and servant but of two friendly rivals wanting to engage in a match; the prince dueled some worthy opponents but Jesse was on a whole different caliber than most.

Meanwhile in the king's study chamber, the young blonde woman who the prince encountered stared at the beautiful portraits of the royal family. Portraits which had Prince Jaden as a boy, the king, and the queen when she was alive.

"These paintings are just breathtaking..." the woman said mentally. "I wonder who did all of this.."

"Alexis, there you are!" Called a voice from behind. Alexis turned around and saw Atticus running towards her.

"Atticus!"

"Alexis, what happened back there? Why was the prince holding you?" He asked.

Alexis blushed lightly, feeling a tad embarrassed. "O-oh..well you see..I slipped on something at the ballroom and nearly tripped...but..he saved me from falling.." she explained.

Atticus chuckled. "Oh that's why. Well you were always clumsy."

"Look who's talking." She countered.

The elder brother then chuckled for a bit. "But anyways, we should head back to the party. It's not good to be away from the crowd. Besides, I don't know if we're supposed to be here."

"I'll be there in a few, I've never been in the castle...I've heard so many things that took place here; besides... I'm tired of Sir Chazz trying to "woo" me." Alexis replied. "..I can't help but feel you put him up to this."

Atticus playfully shrugged. "Not this time, my sister. You know the boy is head over heels for you. Anyways, I'll see you at the ballroom."

Alexis smiled and gave a nod. "Don't worry about me, alright." She replied before Atticus separated himself from the room.

Lady Alexis Rhodes, fellow Knight of the Dragon, was known for her beauty and Dragon riding skills, not to mention her kindness. Being fascinated by the kingdom's rich history, she took advantage of exploring the King's study while the guest were in the ballroom.

"I wonder...how many books does the royal family own…" she wondered, gazing at the the giant shelves.

"Well then...I see I found an explorer." A voice joked from behind which slightly startled the blonde woman. Alexis immediately turned around, her eyes widened at the sight of a very familiar, looking person..

"Your majesty…" Alexis whispered. The knight took a look at the prince; he wasn't sore on the eyes, in fact he was actually kinda cute. His smile was friendly and kind looking.

His face then turned serious. "You know my father doesn't like anyone in his study, not even his own family."

"Oh...then you shouldn't be here as well?" Alexis questioned.

Jaden chuckled. "You got me there...I like to come here sometimes to get away from everyone." He replied as he walked into the room. "You seem like a nice person, so make yourself comfortable."

Alexis blinked, this prince was surely laidback..she thought she would get into trouble for being in here. The blonde always had a slightly rebellious streak to her..at least that's what her family would say.

She took a good look at the prince one last time; he looked about her age and was quite handsome, especially up close. To think this young man would take a huge responsibility was crazy; he didn't seem like a typical, stuffy royal gent.

"So you are the newest Knight of Dragon." The prince recalled, extending a hand towards her.

Alexis nodded and shook hands with the prince, which she assumed was what he wanted instead of bowing. "Yes. Alexis Rhodes." She introduced.

"Good to meet you, Alexis, and congratulations for achieving your new position." he complimented. Jaden wasn't the best at complimenting strangers, but it sure got her to blush slightly.

"Adding fuel to the fire?" She joked.

Jaden could only chuckle lightly at her reply. "I think I like her already! She's pretty...witty!" He commented mentally.

"You don't like parties?" He asked her, since this was technically thrown in her honor after all.

Alexis shook her head. "I don't mind parties..I guess I just needed a break. I kinda prefer quieter areas"

"Ah.. I can understand. Honestly I'd rather be doing something else than to sit at that party." Said the prince.

"Hm? What kind of occupations do you have?" The knight asked.

The prince rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "I-I'm sure you'd find it stupid...Er..alright, I'd rather be dueling."

Alexis gasped. "I love dueling!"

Jaden's eyes widened. "You do?" He asked. The blonde nodded which made him smile.

"I brought my deck as well." She replied, reaching in her pocket. "How about we have a little match ourselves?"

Jaden grinned as he brought out his deck as well. "Alright, I could use a good challenge." He replied. "Let's have a card game on the table like tradition; we shouldn't make too much noise or someone may hear."

Alexis nodded and then sat at the table. "Good idea, I'm sure this won't take long." She smirked.

Jaden chuckled at her words, joining her. "Cocky, aren't we?" He joked. "Alright, Alexis...let's Duel!

"You're on!"

After dueling for what seemed to be forever, Jaden trumiumply came out as the winner. However he definitely acknowledged Alexis as one of his top dueling rivals; her skills and Cyber Angels would definitely make quite the impression on him.

"Can't believe I won't be dueling for much longer soon…" Jaden smiled. "You got game." He complimented, extending his hand.

Alexis gave a smile and returned the handshake. "You too, but I'll definitely win next time." She replied.

"There will be a next time?!" He grinned. "...right?"

Alexis blushed. "W-Well, I mean only if you want to..it's just..I haven't dueled in so long. My brother is usually too busy and well...usually guys would rather flirt with me than duel. Not to mention, not a lot of girls are interested in dueling.."

"I bet they know you'd beat them in a heartbeat!" Jaden replied, making the woman giggle. "I'm serious." He chuckled lightly. "You know...I haven't met a lot of girls who enjoy dueling, I'm glad you like it."

Alexis smiled. "Well I'm glad I could get the chance to duel you, my prince."

"Call me Jaden." He corrected, which was only something he'd do if he considered that person to be a friend. "And we'll definitely do this again."

Alexis nodded. "Jaden...alright." She replied. "By the way, what did you mean you wouldn't be dueling for much longer?"

"Oh that...well..of course I won't get rid of dueling out of my life for good, but I won't have as much free time."

"What do you mean?"

Jaden rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Well..my father has been talking about..me gaining a wife and children someday to..make sure the family bloodline doesn't die." He explained. "He wanted me to meet the nobels' daughters at the party."

"I see.." Alexis spoke. "Have you met any that you fancied?"

Jaden shook his head. "I'm honestly not interested in any of them.." he replied, giving a small chuckle. "I'm sure my dad is annoyed by me. He spent so much after all."

"I bet it's tough being the prince, especially upholding this responsibility." Alexis sympathized.

Jaden chuckled absentmindedly. "It's a living. Anyways, I..actually would like to know more about you." He proposed.

"About me?" The blonde woman asked, Jaden nodded in response. "Well alright...what would you like to know?"

The prince smiled. "Anything you feel comfortable telling me." He replied. "Anything you share with me will never escape my lips."

Alexis wondered to herself, would it be a good idea to share her life story with the prince? She'd never thought he'd even care to acknowledge her, despite being known as one of the best knights in the kingdom. However she was sure the prince had other matters completely different from hers.

However becoming more acquainted with the prince allowed her to relax more. Perhaps it was the duel that helped her connect with him more on a deeper level. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad.

"Well...I was born in the Cyber Mountains…"

To be continued…


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

"Well...I was born in the Cyber Mountains...as the only daughter and youngest of the Rhodes family. I would say that me and my brother lived a happy life before my parents passed away." Alexis explained.

"How did they…"

"Murder." Alexis replied.

"Oh...I'm so sorry to hear that, Alexis.." Jaden sympathized.

Alexis could only smile. "This is why I joined the military at fifteen, to protect others..surely I had to lie about my age, but it was a sacrifice on my part. Only one who knew is Sir Jesse and my brother. I worked my way up the military ladder and well, that's how I ended up one of the Knights of Dragon."

The prince grinned. "You should definitely be proud of yourself. I can tell you've accomplished so much in your life, even more so than me." He complimented.

Alexis blushed slightly, appreciating the compliment from her new friend. "You're sweet." She replied genuinely. "Do you miss anyone, Jaden? Anyone who….passed away."

The prince frowned. "My mother passed away when I was ten." He replied. "By the hands of terrorists...which is why I-...gah! I shouldn't say.."

"Hm? What were you about to say?" She asked calmly.

For some reason, he couldn't help but..talk to her about these things; despite just meeting this very night. Her voice was so calm and relaxing; she also gave out an aura that she could keep any secret from the world.

Jaden faced her, looking into her hazel eyes with nothing but determination. "I plan to create a world with no more lies, a world where we can all rejoin the dead and live as one...once I become king." He explained. "I'm tired of all of this hate, war and suffering!"

"Jaden…what are you-" she whispered.

The prince then placed both hands on her shoulders. "Alexis, I know what I'm saying may sound crazy but I want to fix the world however I can. I'm going to fight for a new world, I'll move the heavens, I'll go through hell for all of us to be with our loved ones again!" He preached. Alexis was starry eyed rather than shocked or believing this man was crazy. Jaden released her shoulders, backing off slowly, wondering if she must've thought he was insane.

All the blonde could do was smile calmly, as if she...agreed with him.

"Jaden...tell me...have you heard of the Sacred Beasts and the Seven Spirit Keys?" She asked.

Jaden blinked. "I have but...I believe that's nothing but a rumor." He admitted. The prince remembered his father going on about those things, but even the king admitted that it was nothing but a false hope of reality.

"Oh it's indeed real.." Alexis replied. "The Sacred Beasts: Uria, Hamon, and Raviel, are the keys to making the world a perfect place; their powers are beyond anything we've experienced. However..only the person with the seven spirit keys can control these beasts."

Jaden crossed his arms. "You really expect me to believe all of this? It's all just a lie fed to us since children!"

"If you can believe in nearly the impossible by making the world perfect, why can't you believe in this?" She defended.

"..."

"I respect and agree with your ideas..I would give anything to reunite with my beloved parents and for the world do to the same with their loved ones, but you need a plan for all of this to happen." The blonde explained. "I'm guessing you've never seen a spirit key in your whole entire life."

Jaden shook his head. "My father said none has ever been found." He replied.

"I see…" Alexis started to slightly unbuttoned her top, making Jaden blush even darker than his cape. Was she stripping in front of him? What would this accomplish? Even a man who was on Jaden's level of hormonal level couldn't help but stare and stutter.

"W-What are you doing?!" He stuttered. While Jaden wasn't like most guys his age when it came to sex, he felt a bit interested in it. How could he not be, considering the world around him?

He couldn't lie about it, the woman standing before him was quite stunning. She was probably the most beautiful girl he's ever seen in his life. Maybe being able to breed with a potential spouse may not be so bad for the prince.

"Damn...I'd be scolded at for staring…" Jaden cursed at himself.

Alexis couldn't help but laugh, seeing that she only unbuttoned two buttons which only showed her collarbone. However there was also a necklace and square shaped piece of gold at the end. Alexis removed the chain from her neck and handed the key to the prince.

Jaden's eyes widened like saucers at what he saw...just like what his father described. "Is that...is that the real…?!"

Alexis nodded. "I kept this a secret for years, not even my brother knows about it."

"Where did you find this?!" Jaden asked, observing the ancient Spirit Key which continued to look as if it were in peak condition.

"During one of my missions." She replied faithfully. "The military would never allow me to keep this, so I'm holding it until I find the six that are left."

"How...how can this be?" He wondered, slowly handing Alexis back the key. "I need answers.."

"Ask the man you know as "father"..." the blonde woman suggested.

Meanwhile the two were unaware of a certain Duel Monster hiding in the corner; actively watching the two chatter about the Sacred Beasts and turning the prince's plan into a reality.

"No...that should be me telling him about the Sacred Beasts...that should be me discussing our plans to make this world a perfect place!.." the demon snarled, continuing to lay in the shadows without being noticed. "A perfect place where only me and Jaden can reside in…"

"Anyways..I believe I'll hang onto this." Said Alexis, referring to her Spirit Key. "I will be able to visit tomorrow incase you are willing to work with me."

"So you'll be here tomorrow?" Jaden asked. Alexis nodded her head. "Alright."

The blonde gave a small smile. "Now I'm sure my brother is looking for me..I should head back to the ballroom before anyone suspects anything."

"Allow me to walk with you back." Said the prince.

Alexis shook her head. "If someone sees us together..I'm sure they'd suspect something. Thank you for the offer."

"You're right." Said Jaden, giving her a kind smile. "Well, I hope you will return tomorrow, Alexis."

The blonde woman returned the smile. "I hope to see you as well, Jaden.."

Alexis gave a small curtsy before leaving the King's study to reunite with her brother. Jaden yawned softly, deciding to leave the study as well.

"So...the Sacred Beasts may be real after all…if she wasn't lying..." Jaden processed. All of those stories told by his father...was it just a lie to hide the truth? If that were the case, why would the king hide such powerful information?

Meanwhile Yubel couldn't help but feel relieved that the two stopped talking; however Alexis was returning the next day. The demon sighed, not in a million years would she believe that Jaden would fall close to a human girl. She also wondered why he'd allow the blonde to call him Jaden so casually.

"He has a lot of explaining to do.." Yubel growled before using her magic to instantly disappear from the king's study.

At the ballroom, the guests were heading out as the party ended. Atticus was frantically searching for his younger sister, after flirting with the many beautiful women of course.

"Alexis? Alexis, where are you?" The brown haired man called out.

"Atty?!" Called a voice from the distance. Atticus turned around and immediately saw his sister, giving her a warm embrace.

"Oh, Lexi..there you are. I've been looking all over for you! Were you even in the ballroom?" Atticus asked.

"Oh brother, I'm fine." The blonde reassured. However she couldn't tell him what she was really doing..so she decided to tell him a white lie. "I...I accidentally fell asleep after looking at all of those paintings. I went to find somewhere quiet and..I guess I lost track of the time."

Atticus could only chuckled. "Silly, girl. You could've been caught." He joked. "Well we should head back, I'm guessing you're ready to hit the hay."

"Oh yes! Very tired.." Alexis lied. "I need to rest up, so let's get going."

Atticus nodded and the Rhodes siblings headed out together side by side.

"I hope you will accept my offer, Jaden...then, we can strive to reach our goal to make this world a better place." Alexis wished, thinking about the prince she met at the study.

The prince headed to his room, letting out a large yawn. When he entered his room to sleep, he was interrupted by Yubel who had her arms crossed and a scowl on her face.

"Well there you are, Jaden.." Yubel hissed. "Took you long enough.."

Jaden, while he wasn't too clueless, detected a change of tone in her voice. "Yubel, are you okay? What's with the scowl?" He asked.

Yubel uncrossed her arms and sighed. "Ah, I'm sorry..it's just I haven't seen you at the party. Where were you?" She asked.

"Oh..I was in the royal study...don't tell father though." He chuckled at his joke.

"I see." The demon replied. "Were you alone in there or...were you with a friend?"

Jaden started to look for his nightshirt in the drawer. "Well... I did meet one of the Knights of Dragon. Her name was Alexis." He replied. "Oh and you'll love this, she actually has the same views that me and you have! Although..she also believes in the Sacred Beasts being real and all that."

Yubel paused, of course the demon knew the Beasts were real; she always knew but she couldn't tell Jaden. She didn't want him angry for keeping this secret. Yubel was expecting maybe the prince would find out another way about the Sacred Beasts.

"Hm..but...isn't that all just a myth?" She asked. "I mean..that is what the king said."

"I thought so too but...she showed me one of the Spirit Keys she found on a mission." Jaden explained.

Yubel's bicolored eyes widened. "S-She has a Spirit Key? Shouldn't the military know? I mean..maybe it could be real.."

Jaden shook his head. "We are keeping this a secret….that's an order. Besides..if this thing is true..about the Beasts being real, then I'd want us to team up with Alexis to find the seven Spirit Keys." He replied. "However...I still want to confront my old man about this." Said the prince as he changed into his nightshirt.

"Do you think he...lied to you?" Yubel asked.

Jaden cringed at the thought of his father lying to him...the thing he wanted to get rid of. "I honestly don't know...but we should get some rest." He replied as he plopped onto the bed while his eyes drifted asleep.

Yubel watched the young man fall into a deep slumber, disappointed about not being able to get more information out of the prince.

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow, Jaden.." whispered Yubel before disappearing into thin air, leaving Jaden alone to sleep.

To be continued..


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

The next morning, Jaden woke up earlier than usual before getting himself ready for a new day. All he could think about was Alexis and her offer from yesterday; to help her find the seven Spirit Keys to unlock the Sacred Beasts and change the world.

He headed to the dining room in order to enjoy breakfast by himself. "Your eggs, your majesty." The servant girl presented on the table.

"Thank you." Jaden replied, enjoying a quiet breakfast, not even scarfing it down like usual. He started to think about the things his father would tell about the Sacred Beasts, like how they were kept underground and could change all form of life.

Yubel suddenly appeared behind the prince. "Sweet dreams?"

The prince swallowed his orange juice. "More like anxious thinking, but I'll be fine. I still want to speak to my father about the Sacred Beasts...ah, if it is true, he'd probably lie to me again."

"You won't know if you don't try." Said Yubel. "You're no longer a kid anymore; I'm sure your father will open up more now."

"He was never an open guy." Jaden replied. "But I'll try." Yubel nodded and then disappeared into thin air once again.

The prince stood up and the servants immediately cleared the table, however before the prince could leave, the king entered the dining room along with Jesse and the rest of the Knights of Dragon.

Jaden looked at the Knights; he recognized all of them. Besides Jesse, there was Zane Truesdale. A tall, young man with teal hair and matching piercing eyes. He was stoic, aloof, not to mention a feared man in the military.

Next to him was a young man with dark raven hair that was in a spiky haircut. He was known as Chazz Princeton, an arrogant young man who came from one of the higher ranking noble families. He also had a bit of a looney crush on a certain blonde.

Then there was Tyranno Hassleberry, the strongest of the team. He had dark skin, long braids and was a transfer from the southern military branch.

Last but not least was the beautiful woman the prince met. Alexis "The Queen" Rhodes, only female knight and known for her swiftness, beauty and skills. She was also one of the more friendlier Knights, which was noted by many who have encountered her. The prince glanced at her; she had a calm, composed expression almost as if she had everything in her life together

"Ah, Jaden. You're up early, it's not everyday I get to see you at this hour!" The king greeted.

Jaden kept a stoic expression. "Father, May I have a word with you?" The prince asked. "Alone if you don't mind."

"Son, I'd like to but I am starving." The king replied. "You know my stance on breakfast."

"That's it's the most important meal, I know. Then after the meal. Can we meet at the..study?" Jaden asked.

The king hesitated while Alexis glanced at the prince. She wondered if the prince wanted to talk to him about the Sacred Beasts; if he thought about teaming up with her.

"We will meet at study after my meal.." Said the king. "What is it that you wanted to speak with me of?"

Jaden lightly chuckled. "It's a secret..a secret between father and son." He replied before leaving the dining room. The king nodded, deciding to agree to this. He never saw Jaden this way at breakfast; usually the young man would scarf down seconds or thirds.

Meanwhile Jaden arrived at the king's study, he could only sigh deeply. He actually hated meetings with his father but he wanted answers; he needed to know about these powerful beasts.

He paced the floor back and forth, anxiously waiting. "I hope he doesn't spend a hour in there.."

"So, you've decided to team up with me?" Asked a voice.

Jaden turned around and saw Alexis walking towards him, which surprised him that she was here and not with the Knights. "Why aren't you with the Knights?" He asked.

"Your father disbanded us for now. I decided to use my free time to check on you."

"But in the study? You know you can't meet me here!" Jaden panicked. "I'm surprised he even allowed me to hold a meeting in the study.."

She crossed her arms. "You know he's eating breakfast, he probably will stay there for a while. Besides...I still have this." Referring to the Spirit Key kept safely in her care.

Jaden's interest perked even further; he hoped he would maybe even gain help from his father to find the Spirit Keys.

"So while I talk to my father, what will you be doing?" Jaden asked.

"Oh? I'll be hiding in here listening to you two." Alexis replied. "I could use some of the info myself."

"What?! Are you mad?!" He shrieked.

"I didn't become a Knight of Dragon by doing nothing." She explained. "This is part of my speciality. Trust me, even you'll forget that I'm even here."

Jaden didn't want her to get into trouble but he decided to trust her. Besides, out of all of the members of the military, she was chosen to be a knight.

"Alright...find a hiding spot and stay put. Don't make a sound in here." The prince ordered.

Alexis smiled and gave a respectful bow. "You won't regret this, your majesty." She simply replied before finding a spot to hide. She decided to hide behind the large red curtain without making a sound.

"I hope you know what you're doing, Alexis..."

Prince Jaden sat at a table in the study, patiently waiting for his father. Before he knew it, the older man entered his study and was slightly impressed that his son didn't forget.

"I guess you're becoming a man." The king complimented.

"Hm? For setting up the meeting?" The prince asked.

The king sat across from his son. "That and not forgetting. Now..what was it you wanted to speak to me about? Could it be about taxes, finding you a suitable bride…?"

Jaden shook his head. "None of that, father.." he replied, which made the king slightly disappointed yet he still wanted to know.

"Then why did you call me?" The king asked sternly, hoping he wasn't trying to waste his time.

Jaden looked his father dead straight in the eye, which meant it was something serious for Jaden. The king did know his son quite well, despite not being as close to him like a normal father. It was his stern attitude against Jaden's more carefree personality; however Jaden knew when to be serious when he needed to be.

"What, boy? Spit it out!" the king encouraged.

The young prince placed his fists on the table. "Tell me the truth about the Sacred Beasts..." Jaden told his father.

To be contributed…


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

The king only leaned back on his chair. "You mean you called me here to talk about that ridiculous myth?"

"Is it in your right to call it a myth?" Jaden countered.

"What are you babbling about now?" the king growled. "The Sacred Beasts are nothing more than an entertaining, historical myth, nothing more! Are you dare calling me...your own father a liar? If so-"

Jaden shook his head. "Not at all..in fact, you're the only I respect the most, father. I wish to be like you.." He reassured, practically taunting him in the process. "All I want is for you to hear me out."

"Then get to it!" The king replied, rather impatiently.

"I want to know if the Sacred Beasts are actually real. Before you answer...I encountered a Spirit Key last night."

The king's eyes widened, feeling his fists tighten their grip. Alexis, who was hiding behind the curtains, wondered if the prince would rat her out to the king. She clenched on the curtains, anxiously listening to the royals conversate.

"W-What…"

Jaden chuckled. "It was pretty..for something that existed for so many centuries. I've never seen a key that was square however...it had a lot of inscription.. something that looked too valuable for words. It reminded me so much of your stories."

The king snarled "Jaden! Where did you-"

"That's not important." Interrupted the prince as he stood up from his chair. "It's kept hidden. Somewhere you can't even find it..tell me..how can you expect me to rule the entire kingdom someday if you can't even trust me with the kingdom's secrets? Surely I have the right to know the truth."

The king then stood up, heading over to the picture on the wall. The picture of Jaden's deceased mother, the queen who died of a terrorist attack. The picture that captured her every divine feature such as her long, light brown hair in a thick braid and the pink complexion of her lips.

The king slanted the picture frame, revealing a safe of some sort with a keyhole. He then brought out his one key and unlocked the safe carefully.

Jaden eyed him carefully as the king took out a Spirit Key from the safe, holding it in the air of all its glory. Even Alexis, who was still well hidden, couldn't believe the king kept such a secret himself.

"This is my one and only Spirit Key." Said the king. "The most treasured artifact, my most sacred possession. I've kept it in for years..no..even previous kings have kept for years, hidden from the world!"

"Why keep this a secret from the world?" Jaden asked. "Why not do something to help contribute to the good of our kingdom?!"

"To keep the Sacred Beasts and their amazing power hidden, even if a person eventually found six of the keys; they still couldn't awaken them without the seventh."

"Do you know where the other keys are?" Jaden asked.

The king then gave a small smirk. "Not even I know where the other keys are; I could never tell a single person even if I did knew where they were. No one should tamper with them. I forbid it!"

"So they are real…that means you lied to me this whole time?" Jaden growled.

"EVERYONE LIES, BOY!" The king snapped.

"Not in the world I'm going to recreate!" Jaden defended, as he slowly took out a long, silver sword he secretly carried.

The king was taken aback, backing away from the prince. "Y-you don't plan on killing me, do you? Your own father?! Your own flesh and blood?"

Jaden continued to approach the king with a smirk on his face. "It's a sacrifice, but you'll be able to join mom at least..."

The king grinned. "I wouldn't join your dear mother, the love of my life, in heaven. On no...you'll be the one joining me in hell someday, by the hands of your own son like a repeating cycle. Besides, you'll only have the one key, no one knows where the others are scattered about! Not even I would know!"

"Who said I only knew where one was?" Jaden asked, pointing to the curtains. "You may come out, Lady Alexis."

The king turned around and saw the blonde woman appear from behind the curtains. "I-It's you..you're the newest Knight of Dragon!" He stuttered.

"Greetings, your majesty." Greeted Alexis, giving a polite curtsy. The king looked at the woman, her calm and serene expression made her look like a saint. "I believe the prince was referring to this.." she added, holding the second Spirit Key.

The king gasped, eyes widened and his mouth gapped. "H-How did you...where did you…"

"I think this should be the least of your worries." Alexis commented, perplexing the king.

Suddenly the elder man felt a sharp, object piercing him from behind. The king gasped, feeling blood coughed and escaping the mouth. Yes, the king was being stabbed by his one and only son. Never in a million years did Jaden dream...he'd stab his own father, committing murder..

Meanwhile Yubel sensed the source of death from a different room; one of the many perks of her new body. She grinned, releasing an insane high pitched giggle now that the king was now dead. What shocked her however was that it was in the hands of Jaden, the kind hearted boy who was slowly turning insane..

"Long live the king…" Yubel whispered from her teal blue lips.

To be continued…


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

The one man was standing, as he gazed at the forming pool of blood on the floor. The king could feel himself taking one last breath before he soon perished beneath his son...

"I..I murdered my own father.." whispered the biggest hypocrite in the room.

Jaden watched the lifeless corpse drop onto the floor as blood poured out from his chest. Jaden felt conflicted as he stood there shocked, holding a bloody sword; was this a sacrifice worth the life of the king?

Alexis then placed a hand on his shoulder. Jaden looked back at the blonde woman; her eyes said it all...sacrifices had to be made. Besides...they will once again see each other, because soon..everyone dead or alive would rejoin each other.

"Jaden...we should probably take the next step,." Alexis suggested as she removed her hand from his shoulder.

Jaden nodded. "Yes...father will understand once this is over..they all will.." he stated. "Meanwhile, we can make this look like a successful suicide attempt. I'll even throw a funeral for my father to look believable."

"Then you'll ascend to the throne, won't you?" Asked Alexis

Jaden gave a slight chuckle. "Not to mention the study will be mine I guess…" It was no wonder the study was so private; it contained the Spirit Key that was "forbidden" throughout the kingdom.

He then grabbed the sword and positioned it to make it looked as if the king stabbed himself. Jaden then kneeled, carefully shutting the king's eyes for him to rest peacefully. "He will soon understand the changes I'll be creating...I'll reunite with my father..and for the first time of his life, he'd be proud of me."

"I'm guessing you were never close with your father as you wanted to be." Alexis commented as the two headed out of the study.

Jaden shook his head. "Especially since my mother passed away. Me and him were different...now that I think about it...maybe we had more-"

"Jaden?! Jaden!" A voice called out.

Jaden and Alexis turned around and saw Jesse running towards them. "Jesse? Is everything okay?" The prince asked.

Jesse stopped when he arrived. "You've been gone for a while, I was checking to see if you okay. I'm glad Lady Alexis accompanied you."

Alexis smiled. "Yes, sir. The prince is in very good hands. I wanted to make sure everything was fine between them."

"Well that's good to hear." The blue haired man replied. "But...where's the king?"

Jaden then frowned, which confused Jesse. Sure he knew those two weren't the closest father and son, but he wondered the change on his friend's face.

Alexis then spoke. "Sir...something happened that the prince unfortunately witnessed. It was...something truly heartbreaking.."

"That bad huh...what exactly happened between you and the king?" Jesse asked.

Trying to hold himself back, he couldn't take it anymore. "He killed himself, Jesse...right in front of me..." Jaden answered.

After some time, a royal funeral was held at the palace. The prince managed to convince his subjects that the king took his very life, which devastated the people. Those who came were dressed in black and mourned over the lost of the king.

Jaden took a look at the coffin while the guests socialized. "King Victor, 98th King of Duelist Kingdom" was inscripted into the coffin which held the king's corpse. He sometimes wondered if doing the right thing meant killing someone in the process.

"Planning on faking your sadness forever?" Yubel whispered, slightly startling the prince.

Jaden looked at the demon. "You know you didn't have to sneak up on me." He commented. "What makes you think I'm faking this?"

"You'll see him once again when you reunite the dead." Yubel pointed out.

Jaden shook his head, cracking a small smile. "You never liked my father huh..I guess I can't blame you. He never really treated you like family.."

Yubel crosses her arms. "I no longer care about that, I'm fortunate enough that he allowed me to stay in his castle. We agreed...if I protected you then he'd allow for me to stay. Sure I wasn't treated like family but I felt honored he'd trust me to protect your life."

"Well I definitely consider you part of the family." Said the prince. "You're technically like...my sister!"

The demon sweatdropped, disappointed at being called a "sister". "Um...thank you." She replied hesitantly. Before the prince could respond, he suddenly heard his name called out by a familiar from behind.

"My prince?"

Jaden and Yubel turned around and saw Alexis standing there. However she wasn't dressed in her regular uniform, she wore an elegant black gown which showed off her shoulders and the top part of her cleavage. Her long hair was also let down, rather than in a ponytail. She also wore faint, pink lipstick.

Yubel's jealousy returned, she recognized that knight. The woman Jaden developed a friendship with at her honoring.

"Lady Alexis, I'm glad you can make it!" greeted the prince. "By the way, I'd like to introduce you to Yubel. We grew up together in this very castle." He added, presenting his demonic spirit partner.

Alexis was a bit taken back by Yubel's appearance; she was unlike any duel monster she's ever witnessed. However in a way, the blonde thought the demon was very lovely.

"Very nice to meet you, Yubel." Alexis replied with a kind smile. "My name is Alexis."

"Charmed…" Yubel deadpanned, trying to put on the act that she was a bit friendly. "Did you graduate from the academy?" She asked, remembered her status as a knight.

"Yes, I'm an alumni from Duel Academy's military sector." Alexis answered.

Yubel smiled, trying to hold back from the possibility of choking her, however things would sure turn nasty. "Well then, it was great meeting you...I have to...attend some things.." she hissed slightly before disappearing into thin air.

"Well this was great, I finally got you two to meet." Praised the prince. "Oh and Alexis, I'd like to speak to you privately...it's about the Spirit Keys.." he whispered.

The blonde nodded. "Of course." She bowed. "Lead the way, my prince."

The prince lead the woman to the king's study where they first met, escaping that large crowd. Alexis found herself being drawn to the beautiful paintings on the wall. Jaden made sure to take took note of that immediately.

"That painting is now ten years old." Said the prince, referring to the painting of his deceased mother. "She was in her garden when this was painted."

"It's beautiful...I'm sorry I just..I keep getting caught in these paintings." Apologized Alexis.

Jaden chuckled. "Don't apologize...I like them too. Now...you distracted my father while I prepared to murder him, so does mean you plan on being on my side?"

"That depends, if you're still fighting for a peaceful world." The blonde replied.

The prince nodded. "Of course."

"And I'm guessing you'll need my Spirit Key?"

"That, but I would like to work with you." The prince suggested. "I could already tell you'd be an asset to my team. Not to mention...you're the only one who knows about the murder...and I can't have got spreading that out. So I suppose even I didn't want to, I'd have no choice. "

A smirk formed on her lush, pink lips. "You know...you're smarter than what you let on." Alexis complimented.

"I get that a lot." Jaden chuckled. To those in the kingdom, Jaden wasn't an ideal "prince", but he did care deeply for the safety of his people, at least in his mind. "But..we must find the seven spirit keys, after I ascend my title as the future king and I want you...Alexis Rhodes, to be stationed closer with me. It'd be easier to meet up in secret."

"Sounds like an honor...however I do have a brother living in the same dorm room as me." Said Alexis. "I would be much farther from him than I'd like to be."

"Then move in with me...both you and your brother can live with me." The prince suggested. "I'll allow you to have your own room. I'll even speak to Sir Jesse about restationing you to the royal palace."

"Jaden.." the blonde woman gasped.

"I'm not asking you to do anything "weird" with me, all I want is your help into making this a reality. Only you and Yubel really know about this..so no one is allowed to know, not even your brother." the prince spoke. "I'm only going to ask you once, Alexis Rhodes.."

The blonde nodded. "I want to...I-..will you give me permission to speak with my brother? This is a big change.."

Jaden gave a smile. "Of course, but let me know as soon as you can. We will make this move rather quick."

Alexis smiled. "Thank you..Jaden.."

Jaden nodded before looking out the window; overlooking his mighty kingdom, the beautiful fields, the green grass...to think such sinful people existed disgusted him. However he was glad someone could finally see what he saw, besides Yubel.

"By the way, you look nice." the prince added, blushing lightly. The prince didn't want the blonde woman to know he was drooling over her, however he really did mean what he said. He would have never guessed her to be an elegant dress kind of girl, she must wear them in her free time.

Alexis blushed, turning away as she tried to hide it. "Y-you look nice yourself." she replied timidly. The two had absolutely no experience when it came to the opposite sex. The prince was a duel, loving "loonitic" while the knight was equally as passionate, not to mention achieving her status as a Knight of Dragon.

Men throughout the kingdom would say anything to have the blonde woman as their trophy wife, however getting a compliment from Jaden felt...nice.

"So...we should head back to the party." said Alexis. "If that's something you want to do.."

The prince gulped. "Er..well, it's 7 o'clock, that means it's time for the dance."

"The dance?" the knight questioned.

"Yeah, you know when couples dance with one another." Jaden replied.

Alexis let out a giggle. "I know what a dance is, silly. Oh! er..I shouldn't have called you th-"

Jaden chuckled. "You don't need to be so formal with me, we are friends, right, silly?"

Alexis nodded. "Right. I just..I never thought you'd throw dances."

"Well...it's tradition to have dances in every royal party, gives the people a chance to relax and socialize, you know?"

"Are you a dancer?" Alexis asked.

Jaden shook his head. "Not really a fan...I did have to take lessons so I know a few things, but I never danced with someone I liked. What about you?"

Alexis shook her head. "I've never danced with anyone really…"

"Oh.." The prince looked at the clock, seeing how the dance just started. He took a look at the woman in front of him, she looked really bashful. "Well..would you like to dance with me?" he asked.

Alexis's eyes widened, did he really just asked her to dance? The prince himself dancing with some farmer's daughter from the Cyber Mountains. She had no clue on what to say. Could she refuse him? She was sure many women would love to be in her place, would it be rude to reject royalty?

"I-"

Sensing her nervousness, the prince took her hand gently, facing her with a kind smile. "How about we duel instead?" He asked.

Alexis gave a smile and nodded before taking out her deck.

"I'd like that…"

To be continued…


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

After some time at the funeral, the guests began to wonder where the prince had disappeared. He was not stuffing his face with food like usual, not even Jesse knew where he was. Not to mention, he was pretty sure Lady Alexis wasn't around as well.

Chatter went about the room, especially with the Nobles' gossipy daughters, all dressed in their glamorous gowns and the finest of jewelry.

"So where do you think his royal majesty is?" Asked a woman with green hair.

"I don't know...to think he's not around for his father's own funeral.." a woman with orange hair replied.

"You guys! What if the prince died as well?" Panicked a short, young woman with long, blue hair and light, brown eyes. She was definitely the youngest of the group; her name was Blair Flannigan, daughter of some very influential people.

"I'm sure the guards would've told us immediately, sweetie." Said the green haired woman in a condescending tone.

"Don't call me sweetie as if I'm a child!" Blair barked.

"Oh ha ha! How cute! Why don't you go play with your-"

"Ladies, please try to calm down!" Said Jesse, trying to sound like a gentlemen . "I'm sure the prince is fine, if we don't see him in five minutes, I'll organize a search squad. I'm sure he's just getting some fresh air.."

"That won't be needed!" Announced a voice from behind.

The crowd eagerly turned around, gasping as they saw Prince Jaden alive and well. Instant chatter came about as the prince entered the room, walking down a large red carpet with Alexis behind him as his bodyguard.

"Jaden…" Jesse muttured.

The prince held a stoic face, something that was only seen when the prince meant business. His stern look reminded the people of his deceased father.

Jaden arrived at the throne after climbing some stairs. He faced the people at his throne while Alexis stood at the bottom of the steps, guarding the young man. The people could only guess...it was time to welcome a new king to the throne.

With a simple hand raise, the prince silenced the people immediately. "Sir Jesse...Bring the crown of my dead father!" He commanded.

"Y-yes...your majesty." Jesse bowed before being handed the crown that was on a soft, purple pillow. The golden crown which held the mightiest title of all. The prince knew...his life would change right st this moment.

Jesse slowly headed up to the throne, presenting the crown as he kneeled respectfully. Jaden took a look at the crown...that beautiful crown worn by generations of kings; kept to be preserved fresh.

He carefully took the crown, placing it on his head. Witnessing the beginning of a new reign made the people fear him. Jaden, the kind hearted yet lazy prince, was standing before the crowd as a new king.

"This crown will represent the reign of my ancestors….but the one wearing it will represent a new future.." spoke Jaden. The crowd gasped, even Alexis was a bit excited about having a new king.

Jesse revealed his sword, raising it up to pledge Jaden. "All hail the king...all hail the king.."

The people began to chant slowly as they submissively bowed. "All hail the the king...all hail the king..all hail the king, all hail the king! All hail the king! All hail the King! ALL HAIL THE KING!" continued the chanters. The chanting continued for a while as Jaden looked at his people, with a mighty glare overlooking them. It was as if…he was meant for this job. He was now the 99th king of Duelist Kingdom.

Meanwhile Yubel hid in the corner. A smirk appeared on her lips, seeing these people chanting for Jaden like zombies.

"So it's begun...the dead and living will soon be one..Jaden..you have these people under your little finger.." she giggled. "Enjoy this while you can.."

To be continued...


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

Atticus Rhodes, brother of Lady Alexis Rhodes and former academy student, played his ukulele as he lounged on his chair. The man lived in a higherup, more expensive, lavish dorm room due to Alexis's status. The brother felt more than proud to be related to one of the Knights of Dragon.

"Oh where can my dear sister be.." he thought. The dorm could get lonely, especially since Atticus had no one to pick on at the moment. Alexis had a bit of a temper which made it amusing for Atticus to pick on her. He wasn't in the mood to chat up any beautiful women about nor did he want to hang out with any friends.

Suddenly the door opened and Alexis Rhodes entered feeling a bit tired after the long funeral, standing on her feet and chatting.

"Well speak of the devil!" Atticus praised. "Boy, you look kinda tired, sis. Long day?"

Alexis sat on the couch and faced her brother. "It was nothing..just a sad day that we lost our king. However the prince has risen to be the new leader, so this is hopeful news." She replied, trying to stay optimistic.

Atticus nodded. "Yes, the word travels fast. However usually the prince waits weeks after his father's death to be king?"

"It is the tradition, but his majesty believes the people need a king immediately." She explained. "I had the honor of speaking to him in person, he's an interesting man...in a good way of course."

Atticus grinned. "He looked about your age as well. Hmm..you usually don't like when guys speak to you."

Alexis blushed. "It's not that at all! I just hate the more obnoxious ones. You know I talk to my fellow Knights! Even Sir Chazz..if I have to." she deadpanned. "The new king is very kind and passionate about his beliefs, we even dueled each other a couple of times. He's as good as rumors had him to be!"

"Ah, that's excellent! I heard the king loves dueling more than anything." Said Atticus. "Heh...same as you.."

The blonde glared at him. "Don't even think about it, Atticus."

"Think about what?"

"You know, thinking that I have a crush on the man!" She replied.

"I was not-...wait..So you don't have a crush on him?" Atticus asked.

"You have some sort of agenda with me!"

"Not true!" Atticus defended. "...so you really don't have a thing for the new king, little sister?"

"No!" Shouted a blushing Alexis, making the brother snicker. "Goodness you're so annoying!" She scolded.

"Keep it together…" Alexis chanted mentally, hoping no one would have to suffer.

After calming down, the blonde woman resumed speaking. "And since we're on the subject about the pri- king...I was offered to be transferred."

Atticus stopped snickering and faced his sister. His expression immediately turned serious. "Transferred?" He asked.

The blonde woman nodded. "By the king himself." she added with a smile. "He wants us to live with him so that I may remain closer, as a knight."

"Alexis, is this real?" He asked, Alexis nodded truthfully.

"Atty, we are no longer students at Duel Academy, we have no reason here. Think of this as...a promotion, joining the king from close up. I could serve the kingdom a lot more." She explained.

Atticus was shocked, never in a million years would he ever get offered to live in the royal palace. Sure he had ideas of living in luxury surrounded by girls and maybe getting himself out there as a musician; however as a commoner and a former farmer, it would've been nearly impossible.

However he wondered what his sister was up to; who convinced the king to allow them to stay at the castle? He figured Alexis or the king may have something hidden inside; this was too good to be true. However Atticus was not one to stress over things; he trusted his little sister, sometimes even more so than his own gut.

"Well, what is it that you want to do..?" Atticus asked. "Whatever decision you make, then we'll do it."

Alexis sighed, her hazel meeting his brown eyes. She had her answer, her final answer for her brother after giving some thought.

Some time passed and the king made sure he kept his word to the knight. He and Jesse were having a talk at the balcony discussing Alexis's transferring to the castle while overlooking those below. Jesse felt a bit taken back by this, Jaden wanted a human girl to stay with him? This was a man who never took an interest in girls.

"So you really believe Lady Alexis would be a good fit here?" Asked the blue haired knight and best friend. "Well...she is impressive, being a commoner who rose to such a position, I don't see why I shouldn't transfer her."

"She will still be a knight, Jesse." Said the prince. "I wouldn't take away that earned title. We could even have the knights stationed in other locations as well."

Jesse nodded in agreement. "Then..I'll let her know to pack her belongings. She'll be transferred soon."

"Oh, it won't be just her, her brother will live here as well."

"Really?"

The young king nodded. "It's not a problem and he agreed to this. I have plenty of room, you forget."

"Do you think Yubel will be fine with this?" The knight asked. Jesse have observed Yubel before, she seemed a bit distant when it came to other people in Jaden's life; Jesse believed it could be "shyness."

"Why do you ask?" Asked the king. "She has met Lady Alexis before, she seemed to be fine with her."

Jesse sweatdropped. "Well then, I'll definitely make sure to transfer both of the Rhodes Siblings." He finalized. "I should get going, it was an honor to see you again, my king."

Jaden smirked. "Jesse, you forget..we are still friends, no need to be so formal. I may be king, but I'm still Jaden."

Jesse smirked back, while feeling a bit silly. "Well then, I'll see you later for the duel, Jaden. I'm not holding back." He replied before heading back into the castle, however he was interrupted.

"Wait. Jesse." Jaden called out.

The blue haired man turned around. "Hm?"

Jaden faced the gorgeous clear sky. Not a single cloud appeared on the blue canvas. The green grass, the flowers..everything was a surreal painting that could calm a mighty dragon. However King Jaden looked more...serious, rather than smiling.

"Do you know what the Spirit Keys are?" Jaden asked.

"Well..sure.." Jesse hesitantly replied. "I know they are forbidden for use in the kingdom."

Jaden then took out his Spirit Key from his pocket immediately; Jesse was stunned. The blue haired knight had never seen one of these up close; it was real...and he had the opportunity to witness it.

"Jaden...where did you find that?" Jesse asked.

Jaden smirked. "Let's say...my old man kept it for safekeeping.." he replied. "I actually have two of these...but that information is highly classified. However...I have a new project for the military."

"And...what would that be, friend?" Jesse asked.

Jaden hesitated, wondering if it'd be a good idea to tell Jesse. The only ones who knew about his real intentions were Alexis Rhodes and Yubel. Jesse wasn't one who thought there needed to be too much change; the world was fine the way it cause according to his best friend. Sure it could use a few minor changes, but nothing major. This was one thing both Jaden and Jesse could never agree on. Before the king replied to the question, he decided it'd be best to keep it a secret.

"I won't make my father's mistake...we need to find all seven of these so I can keep them safe in this castle. No one will be able to touch them with our heavy guarding." he reminded. "I must ask that the military search everywhere throughout the lands, do not let the people know. This will all be classified." The king spoke.

Jesse was taken aback by the plan. "But..all of the Spirit Keys kept and guarded in one area..? A-are you sure?"

"It's the only way we can still have days like this...and everyone else can enjoy it as well.." Jaden mentally commented as he watched the clear, blue sky.

To be continued…


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

The two young adults headed to the castle gardens after touring the main castle. King Jaden made sure to keep the tour as entertaining as he could to please his guest. Yubel made sure to keep an eye on the prince , in case he needed help. However she wasn't too happy of Jaden holding the knight's hand. In fact, the king seemed to harbor some attraction towards her.

"These flowers are beautiful." Alexis commented.

Jaden nodded. "This is my mother's garden. We still keep it presentable even in her death. She's actually buried here as well."

"I see.." she whispered sadly.

Jaden gave a smile. "Don't worry, this was her request. Um...would you like to sit with me?" He asked.

Alexis nodded and Jaden slowly released her hand, the two sat next to each other while admiring the scenery around them. A variety of flowers bloomed about and the birds chirped a calm melody. The weather wasn't too hot or cold, but just right. Jaden looked at the woman next to him. He noticed that her legs are crossed as she sat and likes to keep her hands in her lap. She also looked serene and calm, while her cheeks contained a rosy complexion.

"So...would you like to sniff the flowers?" He asked awkwardly.

"Sure, I'd love to." Alexis replied.

"There's some roses over there." He pointed.

"Alright, then I'll be right back." Alexis headed over to the rose bush, she carefully tried to reach for the bright, red rose that caught her eye.

"Oh Alexis, be careful of the thorns!" The king warned.

"Don't worry, Jaden. I'll be fine, I've- Ouch!"

Jaden immediately rushed over and Alexis winched, pulling her hand away from the rose. He held her hand carefully, seeing a small cut, fortunately it was only that one cut.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

Alexis bit her bottom lip, embarrassed and in pain. "I-It's nothing compared to the military." she replied.

Jaden then took out his sword and sliced a piece of his cape, before carefully wrapping the piece of red cloth around her finger. "There.."

"B-but your cape.."

Jaden chuckled. "Don't worry, its just a cape. Er...why don't we just sit down again? You know just chat."

Alexis nodded. "R-right." The two sat down on the bench again, Alexis already felt her cut healing. "Thank you.."

"Hm? Oh for the cut?" Jaden asked. "Really, there's no need to thank me. In fact..I used to get cuts by those thorns all the time. So you're not alone."

"How?" Alexis asked.

"I used to run into the bushes playing hide and seek." He replied truthfully. "Heh...can't believe I was such a kid back then."

"You still are sometimes." Alexis joked.

"Oh hush!" Jaden laughed. "I changed a lot, believe it. Besides, you and your brother still quarrel."

Alexis playfully pouted. "Only because he started it…"

"Your brother really likes girls." Jaden commented, reflecting at how easily Atticus made his maids swoon with just one line. "Or should I say girls really like him."

"He had a girlfriend at eight years old." Alexis admitted truthfully. She always knew her brother had a knack for charming women; honestly it was something that Alexis found annoying, yet she was used to it.

"Oh..a girlfriend at eight years old? Wow, I guess I'm late for the party. I've never had a girlfriend before."

"Don't feel bad." She spoke. "It only lasted for a week anyways. Besides, usually people court each other when they're older than that."

"Even at my age?" Jaden asked.

"How old are you..if you don't mind me asking?" Alexis asked.

"I turned twenty this year." He replied.

"Oh..so did I!"

"Sweet!"

They both laughed as they continued chatting. Meanwhile the young maiden, Blair Flannigan, peaked from the bushes; she spied on the friends, recognizing the Knight of Dragon known as Lady Alexis Rhodes. The petite girl wondered what those two were going on about; it couldn't be that entertaining, could it?

"Ugh..my dress is getting dirty.." she complained at the brown spots and loose leaves on her baby blue dress, however that was the least of her worries.

Blair was shocked, the two looked so casual and they looked as if they were into each other. She had never seen the king be so relaxed with another woman. Blair was also surprised that the woman he was speaking to was quite breathtaking.

"W-what the..the prince is getting cozy with that Knight.." Blair panicked mentally. "Oh if only it were me! I'm a Noble's daughter! My father is very influential throughout this kingdom! It should be me, he's courting! Not her!"

Blair then scurried off before anyone could catch her. Jaden swore he heard something, but then decided to ignore it.

"So Alexis, are you...by chance seeing anyone?" Jaden asked half jokingly.

Alexis shook her head. "I'm not, nor have I ever had a boyfriend." She replied.

Jaden was surprised, shocked even. "But she's the perfect package, how could she not?" He wondered.

"Hm, are you okay?" Alexis asked, not really bothered by not having a boyfriend in the past.

"Oh um..I guess I'm kinda surprised honestly." He replied.

Alexis blushed slightly. "Don't be...I was in the military so I didn't have time for romance, plus I've...never met a guy who caught my eye back then." She admitted. "Besides, Dueling was my passion."

Jaden nodded. "Yeah..I can understand that. I mean, the dueling part. I guess I was surprised I mean..you're pretty great! "

Alexis only smiled. "You're sweet, you'll find someone, and when you do, I'm sure she'll be the luckiest girl in the world."

"So are you…" Jaden gulped, feeling as if he was running out of air. He debated if he was in the mood to make any bold or risky decisions right now. Even the smallest of choices can cause a big impact since he was the king. "Alexis...can I give you something?" He asked politely.

"Hm? A present?"

"Well I mean..I guess it can be…"

"Go on.." Alexis replied.

The king gulped...even as the most powerful man in the kingdom, he still felt like shivering due to this one young woman. The king moved closer,he placed his arms around her and pulled her close with only centimeters between their faces. Jaden then soon sealed the space by pressing his lips against hers.

Alexis's eyes widened at the action, still feeling his lips against hers. He kissed her like he didn't seem to care who was watching. She couldn't find herself pulling away; she didn't want to move a single muscle away from the sensation.

"What is he doing...what am I doing?..H-he's kissing me...he's really kissing me…"

In pure bliss...the blonde found herself soon returning the kiss with equal passion, with her hazel eyes slowly closing shut. They both only sat there, enjoying the moment while sharing their first ever kiss.

To be continued…"


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

The kiss continued with not a care in the world. The king slowly placed his hand on the knight's cheek, causing her to feel more relaxed due to his gentle touch. They both took in the unexpected moment; forgetting everything that was on their minds or the consequences.

The two slowly pulled away, regaining air for their lungs. Their eyes were still locked on one another, feeling a tad out of breath after the kiss. The king couldn't believe what he just did, with one of the Knights of Dragon even. This was something truly forbidden, especially since Alexis came from commoner status. Even Alexis knew this, it scared yet excited her that the king would do this.

Jaden began to open his mouth. "Alexis….I-..uh.."

"Your majesty, there you are!" called out a voice. Both friends immediately turned around and saw Jesse running towards them. Jaden stood up, trying to compose himself and hide any tracing of blushing.

"Oh! J-Jesse, w-what's going on?" he asked.

"There's something important that needs to be addressed." the blue haired knight replied. "Privately if so."

Jaden nodded, then turned to Alexis. "I'll..um, see you at the royal dining room for your welcome dinner. You remember where it was, right?"

"Two doors left of the throne room?" She recalled.

"Bingo." the king replied. "I'll see you later, Lady Alexis."

"Oh..um, Goodbye, my king." Alexis replied as he watched the king leave with the blue haired knight. She was then left alone at the garden thinking about the kiss. The blonde woman touched her lips gently, thinking about the secure yet gentle touch. Her very first kiss was definitely something that'll linger in her mind for a long while.

"I wonder what was that about.." she sighed. Alexis then stood up, adjusting her blue skirt slightly. "Maybe I need to head to my room...this is definitely something for the diary." The blonde woman decided to head up to her designated room, still reflecting on what happened just a couple of minutes ago. Something in her mind told her this topic would resurface soon.

Meanwhile, Jesse brought the king to the royal study. Now that the former king was dead, the blue haired man wasn't worried about getting trouble for being inside the room. It was a nice, secluded place to have conversations.

"So why are we here?" Jaden questioned. "And what were the important "things" that needed to be addressed?"

Jesse could only chuckle, which dumbfounded Jaden. Now Jaden started to wonder if whatever Jesse had to say was "really important". "Don't play dumb, Jaden. I saw you lock lips with Lady Alexis." he informed.

Jaden blushed slightly, mildly panicking. "Me with Lady Alexis?! W-What are you talking abo-"

"Oh save it." Jesse interrupted. "I followed you two while you gave her the tour. Then I hid near the daisies while you kissed her on the bench. Come on, I'm not blind ya know. There's so much I see happening in this kingdom that it's almost pointless to be secretive."

Jaden sighed in defeat, perhaps he really should've been more careful. There was absolutely no point in hiding this. If his father were still alive, he'd be furious for kissing a knight. He knew his father would much rather him be with a noble's daughter or another princess perhaps.

"Fine..I kissed Lady Alexis, what about it?" the king muttered.

Jesse smiled. "Was that so hard?" he joked, receiving a glare from Jaden. "While you two looked like some sappy love story, I can tell you really like her. I mean, besides the obvious , you do like spending time with her. She's the first- "

"Yeah yeah, I get it." interrupted Jaden. "She's the first human girl I've became close to."

Jesse only shrugged. "I was going to say the first girl you've kissed, but that too."

"You're lucky you're my one of my best friends.." Jaden deadpanned, wanting to immediately change the subject. It was his first kiss and already someone was grilling him.

The blue haired man frowned as he sat down on a chair. "Listen...I personally have nothing against Lady Alexis nor do I condemn the kiss. However as your best friend… I need to be honest for your own good. Others would have definitely witnessed you two in the gardens; people would talk about this and the word would spread. The king and his knight kissing in the gardens; there would be a whole new scandal."

"..."

"and to add, there are matters about having a queen someday." Jesse reminded. "You know, to increase the bloodline."

"I'm aware…" Jaden admitted. "I was careless." The king felt conflicted, he knew he represented the kingdom. Jesse made nothing but good points; this kiss would cause a whole scandal. He didn't really feel worried about himself, but he did however he did think about Alexis. She would be part of the scandal, who knows what could happen to her. He wished people weren't so clasist, to him, she was a person no matter her background.

"Well, no need to sulk." Jesse reminded. "You are the king after all, you need to do what you think is best and just own it."

Jaden gave a nod with a slight smile. There was a reason why Jesse was one of his best friends; the king felt fortunate enough to have someone like Jesse on his side. He was nothing but a true friend and he respected him highly.

"I think I should speak with Lady Alexis privately, it would be wrong to leave her hanging after that kiss. Thank you, Jesse." the king replied.

"Well look at you, slowly becoming a true king!" the blue haired man praised mentally.

Jesse gave a thumbs up, rather than a bow. "Anytime, now I'll see you at the dinner." Jesse rose up from his chair before leaving the study; this gave some time to help Jaden reflect on some aspects of the bond he had between himself and the blonde woman, as well as the kiss that happened back in the gardens. Romance was something he has never experienced as person, it really does change you.

"So this is love huh…"

To be continued…


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

As he waited for dinner, King Jaden laid on top of his king sized bed. He faced the ceiling with a blank expression; he wasn't tired nor did he want to get up. All he could think about was the kiss with Alexis and Jesse's advice; not even his plans of purifying the world came to mind. Right now, he just wanted reflect on this situation.

Suddenly Yubel reappeared in her physical form. After watching the king and the knight in the garden, she had nothing but anger and jealousy stored up. Although, the demon decided to play dumb and casual, as if she didn't see anything.

"If you sleep, you'll be too tired for the dinner." Comment Yubel.

"I'm not sleeping." Jaden defended. "I was just thinking."

Yubel arched an eyebrow. "Oh? What is troubling you this time?"

Jaden sat up and faced the demon. "Yubel...I kissed Lady Alexis today in the gardens." He admitted.

Yubel felt her eyes twitch in anger, but then composed herself. "You...kissed the new knight? Oh Jaden, anyone could've seen you two and made a huge scandal!"

"That's what Jesse told me." The king sighed. "I just hope Lady Alexis doesn't have ill feelings towards me."

"Did she not kiss back?" Yubel asked.

"I mean...I did feel her kiss back kinda. I can still kinda taste the kiss.." The prince chuckled lightly. "I couldn't get a word out after the kiss, luckily Jesse found me."

"So he really is unaware that I saw everything…" Yubel thought.

The demon cleared her throat with a sharp cough. "Well, I don't see why any woman would not want a kiss from you. Besides, she kissed back like you said, so that could mean she has some sort of feeling towards you."

"You think so?"

Yubel nodded. ".She doesn't strike me as a girl who'd let anyone kiss her." She replied calmly. "It'll be-"

Suddenly there was a knock on the door. "Your highness, the Rhodes siblings welcome dinner is ready. Everyone is waiting for your arrival!" Said Mindy from the other side of the door.

"Thank you, Mindy." Jaden replied. "Anyways, what were you saying, Yubel?"

"I said it'll be fine." Yubel reassured. "Now you should head for dinner, they're waiting for you."

"Come on, you're joining us as well." Said Jaden.

"W-What?" Yubel gasped. She really didn't care too much for meeting the siblings, specifically Alexis.

"Come on, you live here too. You should sit with us; we are all welcoming the Rhodes siblings and keeping Alexis closer for us to work on our plan." The king explained. "Now...I won't take no for an answer."

Yubel scoffed. "Alright, but I won't stay for the whole meal.."

Jaden smiled. "Good, I'm glad you're trying to at least get along with them. We're going to need that for the future. Now come on, I'm starving!" He exclaimed before rushing out of his room, and heading to the dining room.

The king soon arrived at the dining room already seeing Alexis, her brother Atticus, and Jesse at the table waiting. None of them touched the food, as it was tradition to wait until royalty sat down.

"Hope I'm not too late.." He commented sheepishly.

Yubel appeared next to the king, fortunately the chair was saved for her while Alexis sat across from the king. Yubel stared at the blonde woman; Alexis looked as if she had a bashful blush on her cheeks. The demon knew the knight must've been reflecting on the kiss between herself and the prince. Why else was she so quiet?

"Not at all, we all just got here ourselves." Said Atticus.

Jaden smiled. "Please sit." He commanded as they did so. "Now it's time to enjoy this delicious meal!"

"Er...your highness, is there anything you would like to say to the Rhodes siblings?" Jesse reminded.

Jaden let out a nervous chuckle. "You're right, sorry about that.." He looked over at the siblings; Atticus looked as carefree as always while Alexis blushed slightly at his stare. It felt awkward to say the least, but Jaden wanted to welcome the two.

"Lady Alexis...Sir Atticus, I'm honored that you guys decided to come here." Said Jaden.

"You can just call me Atticus, my league. We're happy that you invited us!" Said the taller, young man. "I'm already enjoying the room."

"Well that's perfect!" Praised Jaden." and..um, Lady Alexis, are you comfortable with your room?"

The blonde woman nodded. "Yes, everything is set up and I'm happy we have this opportunity."

Jaden nodded; she seemed a bit more at ease. He could still tell she had a shy look on her face; however he planned on speaking with her after the dinner.

"Well, shall we feast?" Yubel interrupted.

The king then snapped back into reality. "Yes! Let's eat!" He proclaimed, which echoed throughout the whole room. The gang took part in the delicious feast, which resulted in Atticus doing most of the talking. The king could already tell he was slightly buzzed from the wine. Even if it was a special occasion, Jaden wondered if wine was a good idea for the older brother.

He then turned his attention towards Alexis, who was silently eating her rice. As soon as she looked back at him, the king gave a small, shy smile. However it was soon interrupted when Yubel started to speak.

"So Lady Alexis...it was must be nice being a Knight of Dragon." Yubel commented as she slowly sipped her wine.

Alexis looked up at the demon and nodded. "Yes, it's an honor serving the kingdom. I'm glad I joined the military when I did."

Yubel nodded. "Ah, so I'm sure your folks at home are proud. I mean, I'm guessing you're their only daughter? Surely you gave them the news immediately."

"Uh...Yubel…" said Jaden, feeling a bit uneasy.

"No, it's alright, your majesty." Alexis interrupted. "To tell you the truth...I would tell them if they were alive at least."

"They're dead?" Yubel questioned.

The blonde woman nodded. "They were murdered by thieves." She simply stated.

Atticus nodded, his expression was now serious at the topic of their parents. "It happened when Alexis was fifteen years old. Heh...not to toot my own horn, but I'd say our farm was very plentiful."

"Farm?!" Yubel gasped. "Y-you're... commoners…?"

"Er..yes." Atticus replied.

"Yubel!" Jaden shouted.

Alexis nodded. "Yes, we both came from the Cyber Mountains, which is a land full of common folk. Did the king not inform you?"

The duel monster dropped her wine glass, spilling wine on the floor. Her reaction looked as if she was betrayed by both the king and the knight. "H-How...could you bring commoners at this table?! How could a commoner become a Knight of Dragon?!"

"Yubel, please!" Jaden barked, feeling irritated already.

The demon quickly stood up from her chair. "Oh shut up! Of all people you kissed...HER?!"

Atticus stood up. "What?!" He shrieked. looked over at his sister, who was covering her lips. "Alexis, is that true?!"

"Yes, Atticus." The blonde woman replied calmly. "I kissed King Jaden at the garden earlier."

Yubel giggled like a deranged fool. "Yes! She can't hide it! You dare tainted the prince's lips, you dirty...peasant WHORE!" She spat.

Before Alexis could reply, Jaden immediately stood up from the table. "ALRIGHT, THATS IT!" He shouted, which stopped Yubel's ranting. "First of all, it was ME who kissed her! Second, Lady Alexis is no whore nor will I have you refer to her as such! Finally, you of all people shouldn't be talking!"

Yubel gasped. "J-Ja- your majesty.."

"You were an orphan from the streets for heaven's sake!" Jaden spatted out. "My dear mother took you in, raise and fed you as her own! If she were to look down at commoners, you think she would take you in?! No! She would probably spit on you for even breathing the same air as her! Like what all of these snobby nobles do!"

"You have your past and you dare to look down at Alexis due to being a commoner?! You think you're better than her just because you were raised here most of your life?!" He continued, angry out of his mind. "I never cared about her commoner status, she's an individual like you and me! If you think I'd allow you to say such things, you got another thing coming!"

Yubel stood there, defeated by the one man she wanted more than anything. Out of rage, she threw the her wine glass at the wall before bolting out of the room in embarrassment.

"HAS OUR KINGDOM GONE MAD?!" The demon shrieked.

Alexis was completely shocked at how angry the prince got and how passionately he defended her. She was speechless and had no idea what to feel; the knight felt mostly happy that he'd defend her honor like that.

Jaden however, immediately stormed out of the room, walking past any servants without a word. Alexis decided to follow him before he could get too far from her.

"Alexis!" Atticus called out.

"Let her be." Jesse commanded calmly.

"B-but I want to see if my sister is okay.." the brother defended. "Can't a big bro do that?!"

The blue haired knight shook his head. "These matters aren't part of your business." He spoke. "This is between the king and Lady Alexis...just sit down and enjoy your food."

Atticus sighed, finishing off his wine with one stressful gulp. "How can you be so calm about this? That demon said awful things about Alexis and apparently the king kissed her?!"

"You need to pick your battles." Said Jesse. "And right now...this is a battle that is between the king and your sister.."

Atticus gave a slight nod, he did not agree completely, but he chose to sit back.

"I hope you know what you're doing.."

To be continued...


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

The king stormed into his study without saying a word. He was absolutely furious and embarrassed at what happened. He had never seen Yubel this angry and out of control before.

"Jaden?" A gentle voice called out.

The brown haired man turned around and saw Alexis standing at the doorway. He eased up seeing her calm, yet concerned expression. "Alexis, please come in."

The blonde allowed herself into the room before shutting the door. "Are you feeling alright?" She asked.

Jaden shook his head. "I should be asking you that. I wanted you and your brother to feel welcomed. I'm so sorry for what happened and for Yubel, she's usually never like this. To be honest...I'm usually not like this either...perhaps I was too hard on Yubel."

Alexis only gave a smile, which dumbfounded Jaden. She didn't see very offended at all, unless he was missing something.

"I'm just grateful that you defended me. Besides..people like Yubel are one of the reasons I fight for this kingdom." Alexis replied. "I can't make her think highly of me and that's fine with me."

"You're so calm about this...but why?" Jaden questioned. "I couldn't stand it when Yubel was speaking to you like that."

"Remember the plan? Soon, there won't be any hate or violence once we unlock the Sacred Beasts." The blonde woman explained. "Besides, as a commoner who reached this status, I was definitely expecting the backlash."

"Really?"

Alexis nodded. "People fear what's considered to be the underdog."

"You're right.." He admitted in good faith. "You're absolutely right about that, Alexis.."

"I feel like there's more you want to tell me." Alexis commented, making the king blush slightly. He wondered if she could have been talking about the kiss? Sure he planned on talking to her but he didn't know what to really say.

"About that kiss…" Jaden started. He then sighed calmly before looking into her bright hazel eyes, which he found to be a very beautiful pair. "I-I don't know what came over me.." he truthfully admitted.

"So you just did it just because?" Alexis challenged.

"No! I-..it isn't easy to say this.." The king added, feeling a pit in the bottom of his stomach. "I suppose I have feelings for you. I honestly thought I ate a bad piece of meat a while ago, but there's a feeling in my gut that's eating me alive. I guess what I'm trying to say is..I'm...becoming fond of you.."

Alexis blinked, feeling dumbfounded and concerned for the king. First he was angry and now he looked extremely bashful. "I'm..becoming fond of you too.." she replied awkwardly.

"Ah screw it!" He suddenly grabbed her right hand and held it in his own hands. He could remember this was something his father did towards his queen when they were both still alive.

"LadyAlexisIreallylikeyouokay?!" He shouted out, unfortunately she couldn't get any of that.

"Er...try again, this time slowly." She replied, cracking a playful smile.

The king chuckled nervously. "O-Of course...what I meant to say was...I like you, Lady Alexis and it's not in a friend way or in a way a king would like his subjects...more like...like…"

The knight smiled and placed her finger over his lips. "You don't have to say another word, my king."

"O-okay.." The king replied, preparing for the worst. If she wanted to leave and never see him again, he wouldn't blame her nor would he use his power to stop her. When it came to these topics, he was as inexperienced as a newborn baby. The king avoided shivering in front of the woman, but the nerves were still there.

"I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel a way towards you as well." She admitted. "Besides...you were a great kisser back there and you defended me from Yubel. I really can't thank you enough!"

The king immediately perked up at that compliment. "M-me? W-well thank you. I had no idea you liked me too..and it's no problem, Alexis. What Yubel did was wrong and I couldn't just sit by like that."

Alexis couldn't help but giggle. "If I didn't like you, I'd probably punch you when you kissed me."

"And I'd definitely wouldn't blame you." Jaden replied, letting out a chuckle. "Hey if I'm a jerk, feel free to punch me."

The blonde woman gave a playful smirk. "Hmm? You'd be asking for a lot of pain." Alexis warned. "You forget I was in the military, so I pack a punch. Just ask my brother if you dare."

They both laughed with each other as they enjoyed each other's company. It was already like they could be themselves around each other. Jaden was grateful he could encounter some amazing people in his life such as his mother, Jesse or even Yubel. However he found himself having a different attachment towards the Knight of Dragon. It made him wonder if she was going to continue to be in his future and what they would do together.

Jaden then met her eyes before he could say a single word. "Alexis…"

The blonde woman couldn't help but stare back into his eyes. His eyes were a beautiful, deep shade of brown that reminded her of the richest chocolate. "Yes Jaden?"

"Does this mean..we're together?" He asked.

"Well that depends.." she started. "As the king, you do have an image to keep with the people. You with a knight would cause a scandal." The blonde sighed softly. "Such unnecessary drama when you're on top..."

When Jaden decided to stay quiet, Alexis went on. "It would help if I became your consort, so i could become closer to you without the people suspecting anything, and I'm not just talking about the plan."

The king was completely shocked, now she wanted to be his wife? "Alexis, do you even know what you're asking?!" He panicked.

"It's a price to pay, I'll have to eventually bear our children as well to keep the image." Alexis replied calmly. "I'm sure my brother will be shocked, but it'll all warm up to him. He'll finally have nieces and nephews like he always dreamed of."

Jaden took a deep breath, this was all so much. Now that he thought about it...his parents married younger than he marry young was a tradition to create the healthiest of children; however the royals would also be arranged to their future spouses by their parents. While both of Jaden's parents were dead, he knew he had to have children eventually, but at least he had the choice of choosing a woman.

"Tell me, Jaden..do you want to do this?" Alexis asked, looking into his eyes. She placed her hands onto his chest. "His chest is much broader than I realized.." she noted mentally. The king's blush had to be darker than his cape at this point as he felt her touch.

"Is this something you want to go through with,your majesty?"

Jaden could help but stare, sure she was the most beautiful girl he had ever laid eyes on, but of course this woman was no force to be reckoned with. She also knew the real truth behind the death of the former king. He wondered if she'd ever blackmail him into doing her bidding.

The brown haired man then decided to wrap his arms around her waist, pulling her closer. If she was going to become his queen and work on their plan, so be it. If she was willing to go that far for the plan, then the king figured to do the same. Although he'd have to keep his guard up around her just in case she were to do anything suspicious.

"Alexis…"

The next morning, Jaden called the royal court together; the nobles, the Knights, and their families stood with one another. Everyone in the room chattered, wondering what was so important that the king had to call everyone urgently.

"Is the kingdom in danger?"

"Do you think taxation will increase?"

"Will there be another duel tournament?!"

The king silenced the court with a simple hand motion. He sat down on the throne, catching the whole attention of those in the room.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I'm glad you all could make it on this day. I know this was an urgent call and I can assure you that the kingdom is not under any threats.." he started. "Now as you all know, we have appointed a new Knight of Dragon."

At that point, Alexis stood out of formation with the knights and joined the king on top of the isle. Everyone could see her in plain sight. The people wondered what Alexis Rhodes had anything specifically to do with the king.

"Alexis...what's going on?" Atticus thought as he watched his sister from the crowd.

The king took a deep breath, grabbing his composure. "I decided to choose Lady Alexis Rhodes, Knight of Dragon, to be my future consort!"

To be continued..


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

After the announcement of the king's engagement, the noble's daughters were immediately gathered by Blair Flannigan to meet in the castle's dining room. The news all surprised them and most were good sports about this, all except for a pissed off Blair.

"Can you believe the king is getting engaged to a knight?! A knight! Of all people!" Blair complained.

An orange haired woman shrugged. "If the king choose Lady Rhodes then that's his choice. There's nothing we can do." She explained to the young lady.

"You're just defending her because you were part of the military!"

The older woman rolled her eyes. "Oh excuse me, I forgot since we're nobles daughters, we have to be so bitter. Gee, no wonder the king didn't choose one of us."

"Enough you two!" A woman with green hair shouted. "Lady Flannigan, it is time to let go of the king! He made his final decision...soon, the kingdom will be blessed with beautiful children. Quite sooner than you think, since royals are always breeding so young."

Blair then crossed her arms. "I'm going to confront these two, this engagement...this whole thing shouldn't be happening!"

"If the king and Lady Rhodes refused to speak to anyone about this, what makes you think you'll be an exception." The orange haired woman challenged, before sipping her tea with elegant grace.

Blair hesitated, Sure was sure those two wouldn't open up so easily to her. "Then..I'll have to spy on them first. I'm sure Lady Alexis has some sort of agenda."

"Agenda? I'm sure she would have assassinated the king a long time ago if that's what you're implying." The green haired woman spoke.

Blair shook her head. "Doesn't have to be death...but I have this weird feeling about her..and I'm going to find out."

"You'll risk your family's reputation." A daughter warned.

"Oh you don't have to worry...everything will be under control from my end.."

Blair stood up from her chair, facing away from the other women of nobility. The blue haired woman planned on keeping an eye on the knight as the kingdom prepared for the royal wedding. It would be the 99th royal wedding in the duel monster kingdom.

Speaking of royalty, Jaden, Alexis, and Yubel all finished their lunches after strolling the gardens together. The king decided to walk with Alexis to her room, keeping an eye for any "media vultures" trying to grill the two.

"I just wanted to say that I had fun with you." Alexis praised. "I hope we can keep having these meetings, without any people trying to interrogate us."

Jaden chuckled sheepishly. "Well I'm glad you had a good time!" He replied, showing his adorable, goofy smile. Alexis had always found the king's smile endearing; it was innocent per say. It even made those around him smile.

"So.." he started. "What about next time we-"

"There you guys are!" Called out a familiar voice. The couple immediately turned around and saw Atticus running towards them with a frown in his face, something that meant business to Alexis. Her brother wasn't one who always frowned; he was probably one of the happiest people she's ever met.

"He must've heard about the engagement.." Alexis whispered to Jaden.

The king agreed, he actually saw the elder brother in the crowd, but chose not to say anything. Surprisingly Atticus said nothing during the royal court meeting as well. Jaden was sure Atticus would speak out instead of that looney man Sir Chazz.

"Why Atticus, how can we help you?" Jaden asked politely.

Atticus sighed before speaking calmly. "Your majesty...I would like to request to have a private conversation with my sister."

"You shouldn't be asking me, you should be asking your sister." Jaden corrected.

"R-Right, I apologize! So Lex…" the elder brother started. "May I speak with you in private?" He asked.

The blonde woman nodded, "I'll see you later, your majesty." She whispered to the king before heading into her room, along with her brother.

To be continued…


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen**

The king watched as Alexis and her brother head into her bedroom. Jaden let out a sigh, surely the brother will pretty much be against this marriage. Yubel smiled as she placed a hand on the king's shoulder, grabbing his attention.

"We should probably give those two alone time." The demon spoke.

Jaden unsurely nodded. "I just hope Atticus doesn't overwhelm her.."

Yubel could only give a small chuckle. "You are the king, Jaden. Anyone would be honored to see their sister married off to you. It's not like you're forcing her to do this." She informed.

Before Jaden could reply, he was suddenly interrupted by a couple of voices calling out to him. Yubel scoffed, seeing that she was interrupted by a couple of maids.

"Your highness! Your highness!"

Jaden turned around and saw both Mindy and Jasmine running towards him as they were in panic.

"What's going on?!" The king asked.

The maids immediately ceased their running. "We can't find Lady Alexis's brother!" Mindy panicked.

"Do you know where he is, your highness? We are so sorry to interrupt you." Jasmine asked.

"Er...he's discussing matters with my ….fiancée." The king replied calmly. He felt a bit strange having a fiancée and having to say the word. "Speaking of which, you're supposed to be taking care of both him and his sister."

"O-of course! We plan on dressing up Lady Alexis now that she is your fiancée!" Jasmine spoke.

"What?"

"Well with all do respect.. she is our guest and our future queen." The redhead continued.

"And I just enjoy dressup!" Mindy cheered.

Yubel glared at the two maids subtly. "Could these two get anymore annoying…?" She wondered before disappearing.

Now that Jaden thought about it, Alexis was going to be the queen someday. He thought about giving her some new clothing to make her feel more accustomed to royalty. "Alright, you two must help Lady Alexis dress. Make sure it's clothing that she approves of."

The maids bowed before leaving the king alone, while containing their excitement of dressing up the future queen. They both made it their mission to make Alexis look like the most beautiful queen the kingdom has ever had. Jaden could only figure that his maids could interact on a different level towards Alexis, besides he knew nothing about women's fashion.

Suddenly the door opened and both Alexis and Atticus stepped out of the bedroom. Judging by the smile on the older brother's face, the conversation seemed to went well.

"Well hello again, you two!" Jaden greeted.

"Were you here this this time?" Alexis asked.

The king rubbed the back of his head. "I was just making sure you were alright.." he admitted. Alexis gave a small smile while blushing lightly; it was sweet of the king to be worried about her.

"So my king, Alexis told me that you two had some feelings towards each other, Is that right?" Atticus asked.

Jaden tried his best to hide his blush but failed. "I-"

Atticus chuckled rather loudly. "Ah, I can see it on your face!" The elder brother pulled the king into a bear hug, leaving Mindy and Jasmine both shocked that someone would hug the king so casually.

Jaden felt himself nearly choking by the tight embrace. "Uh..er..wow, that's v-very- dammit, I'm choking!"

"Let him go, Atticus!" Alexis scolded.

Atticus immediately felt embarrassed and released the king. "Hehe..sorry about that, your majesty.." he apologized. "I'll keep an eye on you, but I'd be lying if I didn't say that I'm excited that my sister is getting married to someone like you."

Jaden blinked, feeling a bit dumbfounded "Hm? Someone like me?"

Atticus nodded. "You seem like the guy my sister needs, judging by what she told- OW!"

The brother stopped chatting when Alexis punched him in the back of his head. "That's enough out of you!" Alexis interrupted with a blush on her face.

"Wow, she really does pack a punch.." an amazed yet frightened Jaden wondered.

"Lexi, not infront if the king!" Atticus whined.

"Atticus, I need alone time with the king. Go on and do something!" She scolded, which Atticus obeyed, But not without giving a thumbs up to both his sister and her fiancé.

Alexis sighed. "I apologize about my brother."

Jaden shook his head. "It's no problem, I actually enjoy your brother." He admitted. "He keeps things lively."

"I don't know if that's a blessing..." Alexis deadpanned. "The man also mentioned nieces and nephews in the future."

The king chuckled nervously. "Well...I suppose we will have to…-gulp- you know…"

"W-Well...let's think about the wedding first." The blonde woman suggested. "I mean..we should prepare something. I'm sure your servants would make the wedding a huge event for the kingdom."

"Well, what kind of wedding do you propose?" The king asked.

Alexis gave it a bit of thought. "Well..according to the royal customs that I read about, we'd have to have a wedding six months from now. So after Christmas would be nice."

Jaden smiled in response and held her hand carefully, much to the blonde woman's delight. "Then I'll be sure to let everyone know so they can start planning." He replied before the two started talking while strolling through the halls.

To be continued…


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen**

"Are you girls okay? We've been at this for a while." Alexis asked concerned.

The blonde woman stood in the middle of her bedroom, while Mindy and Jasmine assisted her in putting on the right dress. For example, they would take the blonde woman's measurements or ask her questions on her ideal dress. Alexis, while feeling slightly uncomfortable, slowly became accustomed to the help a royal would receive. She would be married to the king, so she needed to get used to being treated as such.

"I have a new dress that would be perfect for you." Said Mindy, holding up a long gown by the hanger. "It'll show off your lovely figure, but it flares out at the bottom."

"Oh my, with all do respect I think you should try it, Lady Alexis!" Jasmine cooed.

"Well.." Alexis started, taking a look at the dress. It had a maroon color with white trimming, especially near the bust. It looked relatively new. She thought it was a nice looking dress, so she decided to give it a shot.

"Sure, I'll try it on. Then I want you two to give me an honest rating." Alexis instructed.

"Yes, my lady!" The maids squealed, excited that they got to dress the future queen.

Meanwhile Jaden paced the floor of his study all alone as he requested. He waited for the blonde woman, hoping that she was okay and that his maids didn't bombard her as the fashionistas they were.

"Where could she be?" Jaden wondered.

"Your majesty?" A voice called out. "I'm sorry for arriving late."

The king immediately turned around and he suddenly felt a sensation when he saw Alexis Rhodes in a gorgeous, elegant maroon gown. The gown flared at the bottom and was long enough to cover her legs. However it showed part of her cleavage. Her long hair was no longer in a ponytail, but let down as it cascaded down her back and to her waist.

"Don't worry, I'm sure those two kept you in for a long time." said the king. "By the way..you look...really nice...really..gorgeous."

Alexis could tell the king was nervous, however his words were sweet. "Thank you, but you're the one who brought me those two wonderful ladies." She replied with a smile. Jaden approached his fiancée, escorting her inside the study as he held her hand.

"Was the dress the one you approved?" He asked.

The blonde woman nodded. "It was stunning, how could I not approve? The maids did an excellent job."

Jaden chuckled. "Well then, I'm happy for you. So...I believe you wanted to meet me about the Sacred Beasts? You got me all to yourself. I made sure there was no one around, not even Jesse is allowed to be in this meeting."

"Of course, I wouldn't have called you here for you to drool over me all night." she replied, placing her hands on her hips with a playful smirk on her lips.

Jaden blushed, perhaps he was doing a bit too much staring. "Er..right.."

"Is Yubel around?" Alexis asked.

Jaden shook his head. "She's not in this room, under my request, but I'm sure she's somewhere around the castle. Besides..I..took the liberty of setting up a private meal between us."

Alexis gasped. "Oh Your majesty, you didn't have to.."

The brown haired man smiled. "I wanted to, Lady Alexis." He replied. Alexis felt herself practically melting at his smile. She could only blush to keep her cool; however that smile of his made it quite difficult not to kiss him. The blonde woman knew she was at the point of swallowing her pride for once, but she needed to stay on topic, for her sake.

"Anyways...I found something in your father's study. You know that the Sacred Beasts are located underground right?" Alexis asked.

The king frowned. "Well..that's what my father told me." Jaden replied. "Now that I think about it, I wonder if he said that to make his story more interesting.."

The blonde woman smirked. "Well this myth is about to get debunked!" She proclaimed. "It's the only thing your father was truthful about."

Jaden blinked, clearly dumbfounded. "Alexis, what are you-"

The knight pulled a random green book out from the shelf, which suddenly opened a secret passageway that was behind it. Jaden's eyes widened at the secret he now just witnessed, which as a candlelit old stairway . He lived in the castle this whole time, yet he had no idea about some of the secrets kept. Jaden wondered what other things his father kept.

"Is that-"

"Forgive me, your majesty.." Alexis apologized, before grabbing the king's hand and dragging him along with her.

"H-Hey! Where we going?!" Jaden asked, trying to keep up with her.

"Just trust me!" Alexis replied confidently.

"I wonder how can she run like that with a gown on.." Jaden wondered as he tried to keep up with her. The couple entered a flight of stairs that went downward, as if it lead to the center of the world, or at least close by.

The king himself wondered where the stairs led to. "Hold on, Lex!" He called her by his nickname.

Before Alexis could react to the nickname, she was scooped up the knight into his arms, which surprised Alexis at the bold movement. Now Jaden was the only one running while carrying Alexis in his arms.

Alexis made sure to hang on but trusted the king to get to the bottom safe. When the fleet of stairs ended, Jaden carefully placed Alexis onto her feet.

"Well that was...fun." Alexis complimented. "You were so fast..and you carried me with ease.

Jaden chuckled. "Well...I've been told I had some good athletic abilities." He replied. "Besides, you're a pretty light person, so carrying you wasn't a problem. So..I'm guessing we go forward."

"Right." Alexis affirmed. The king started to walk forward with Alexis behind him. The two made sure to stay close, however it wasn't as scary as one may think.

"By the way...where are we?" Jaden asked.

Alexis smiled. "We're underground, silly."

Jaden's eyes widened. "Huh...that explains why the stairs led us down...wait...what I want to know is why was there a secret passageway in my castle?! Also why are we underground?"

The blonde woman giggled. "You haven't figured it out..?" She asked. When Jaden shook his head, Alexis decided to take out a piece of paper she kept hidden.

"Here." Said Alexis as she handed Jaden a page that was torn from a book. "I found this in your father's journal…I think you should read it yourself."

Jaden held the paper and carefully read the page that his father personally wrote. As he progressed, his eyes widened and his grasp on the paper tightened. "No way...the Sacred Beasts…"

Alexis immediately turned on a light switch, revealing a rather large room. In the room contained a large golden cube that levitated over the ground. In front of the cube was a control panel which contained seven keyholes for the Spirit Keys. "They're right in this room! All sealed in tightly in that cube!" Alexis completed.

To be continued…


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen**

The king stood there, taking in every part of this room. The full surroundings of the Sacred Beasts' chamber was right under him the entire time. Jaden was surely positive that even his father knew the whole time.

"I guess I'm just…" the prince started.

"I understand that you feel surprised. I'm guessing you've never been in this room?" Alexis asked.

Jaden nodded his head. "Not even once...so the Sacred Beasts were under this castle huh…"

"Ever since this castle was built, it was guarded from intruders into getting close to the Sacred Beasts for generations." Alexis explained. "according to the page I found in your father's study."

"So he did know about it...he really knew everything about the gods..yet he could've used their power to save my mother…" the king muttered.

"Not unless he had all seven keys." Alexis answered. "According to your father, not even he knew where the other keys were. I have mine and now we have the second one due to your father. So we should allow the military to search for it, in secret..not to overwhelm the people to think something is wrong."

The king sighed before facing the knight. "I guess we'll have to keep searching..but to think, my mother's death could've been stopped!"

Both Alexis and Jaden started to head back upstairs side by side. The blonde woman felt nothing but empathy, as she knew the loss of her beloved parents. However she had nothing but faith to retrieve the keys and bring the world into a vast utopia.

"Jaden?" She spoke, wondering how upset he must've been feeling.

Jaden could only chuckle quietly. "It'll be fine, Alexis...we'll definitely get those keys…" he finalized.

The couple soon arrived upstairs before Jaden hid any traces of the secret passage. Then they left the study, making sure nobody saw them. The only person he didn't mind was Yubel, however the demon had been acting strange ever since the king met Alexis.

"So..you said something about a meal?" Alexis reminded.

Jaden grinned. "Oh I haven't forgotten..although I gotta warn you, I eat a ton."

Alexis giggled at how silly he was. "Yes, I've noticed that when we ate together before with the others.

"Well...my mother used to say I eat like a dragon." Said the king as he rubbed the back of his head nervously. "and yeah I agree with her."

"Alright, but try to slow down this time. The food is not going anywhere." Alexis playfully ordered.

A warm smile formed on the king's lips. "Of course...May I escort you inside the dining room?" He asked as he offered his elbow.

Alexis returned the smile and held onto his arm as they headed inside. Soon they were greeted by the fresh aroma of different barbecued sliced meats prepared, along with grilled vegetables and white rice. There was also red wine to accompany such a dinner.

Alexis was awestruck by the sweet gesture. "Jaden.." she gasped. "Is this all for us?"

"Of course." Replied the king proudly. "We have chicken, beef, duck, lamb...all fresh meat prepared by our royal chefs. While I can't say I made this, I could say I decided on this meal."

"I love it! Oh and it smells amazing.." Alexis complimented. "Although I must ask...why all this for me?"

"Why not?" Jaden replied. "You're going to be my wife someday. Besides...you are important to me and I want you to know." He admitted.

"Oh Jaden…you really mean it?" Alexis asked.

The brown haired man nodded. "Yes, you are..I've never met a person like you before...and I'm really glad I have. I know I'm new to this whole love thing..I do want to try to make us work."

"Us?.."

"Us."

Alexis planted a kiss on the king's cheek, much to his surprise and delight. After showing her gratitude, Alexis sat down with the king before enjoying a meal amongst themselves. They two discussed different topics such as dueling, their past, and what they both expected out of the future. The king was quite surprise to hear about Alexis's life on her farm; he'd honestly would've never guessed she was a farmer's daughter.

After the meal, the two took a stroll in the garden under the moonlight. They both enjoyed each other's company and their hands were both joined together. Smiled and laughter were exchanged, as well as hugging and comfort. The king even handed the blonde woman a red rose from the garden.

"You're really sweet.." Alexis spoke.

Jaden smiled. "They'll be plenty more where that came from. So what would you like to do next?"

Alexis then yawned softly. "I'm sorry...I guess I'm feeling a bit sleepy."

"No need to apologize." Said Jaden as he stood up from the bench. "It is getting late."

"I'm sure we will get to spend more time together.." said Alexis.

"Definitely!" He proclaimed. "Now...would you like for me to walk you back to your room?"

The knight smiled. "I'd like that."

After walking to Alexis's room, Jaden knew it was time to go. At least he was going to see her, however he wished he didn't have to wait all night. He wanted her with him, but he knew she had to sleep. Not to mention it was tradition for each other to...sleep together on the wedding night.

Jaden wasn't sure if Alexis felt the same way, but time would only tell. He wouldn't pressure her to do anything she didn't want to, no matter his desire.

"I had a wonderful time tonight, Jaden!" Alexis praised. "I really can't thank you enough.."

"Well I'm glad you had fun tonight, that was exactly my plan." Said Jaden. "We'll definitely do this again..anyways, I should let you get some sle- oomph!"

He was interrupted when a pair of warm, lush lips covered his. Jaden was surprised to see it was Alexis who was kissing him. The fact that she made that bold move made it even more attractive. The king knew he had to learn from this; he planned on definitely kissing her more.

He gave into the kiss as he returned it with equal passion. While it wasn't passionate French kissing, but it was a sweet kiss that spoke on its own.

After she slowly pulled away, the blonde woman whispered "Goodnight, Jaden…"

"Goodnight...Alexis.." he responded lovingly, both remembering to smile greatly when they sleep.

The king made his way down the halls with a smile plastered on his face. He then encountered Jesse, who was heading to his bedroom as well.

"Well I've never seen you this happy! Did the meal go by better than what you expected?" The blue haired man asked.

Jaden sighed, feeling satisfied about tonight. "Lady Alexis is wonderful, Jesse! To think I'll be married to her in six months...that's a long time...too long.."

"Doesn't have to be. The time will go by before you know it." Jesse reassured his best friend. "You two can continue to spend time with one another."

"I know, I know.." Jaden replied half disappointed. "I just hope she's still okay about us marrying."

"I'm sure she'd love to marry to you, friend. Don't be so hard on yourself." Said Jesse. "Anyways, you need to get some sleep. A king's role never stops."

Jaden chuckled. "Yeah...Night, Jesse."

"Goodnight, Jaden." Said Jesse before the two men went their separate ways and the king began to have good dreams with Lady Alexis Rhodes.

To be continued…


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter Eighteen**

Preparations were being made for the royal wedding of King Jaden and Lady Alexis. The people grew more and more anxious, wondering that kind of wedding the king would throw. The servants made sure to make this wedding a fruitful one of joy and cheer, that everyone will be able to remember throughout time.

As the months passed, Jaden became increasingly closer towards the knight. While they kept any form of affection private, many have observed the connection the two had, and how fond they grew of each other.

However there were some who didn't take it well, especially Yubel. The demon felt herself drifting apart from the king and increasingly jealous of the affection the king showed Alexis. Yubel wanted to be Jaden's queen and bear his children; she saw Alexis as nothing but competition. However she pretended to be friendly towards the knight to get under the king's good graces.

Although the king and Alexis spent time with one another, one day the king announced that he'd be leaving the castle for a week and staying up at the mountains. It was tradition for future royal couples not to see each other at least one week before the wedding. The king believed the tradition was stupid, but truth be told, he wanted to fetch some perfect Christmas gifts, especially for Alexis. After Christmas, the wedding would be held right at the castle.

On the journey he brought Yubel, his spirit partner. While Alexis stayed in the castle and prepared for a Christmas celebration. The blonde woman had always loved the holidays, however she was sure she'd love it more thanks to her new fiancé. She could only pray for his safe return from the mountains, hoping they'd reunite on Christmas night.

When the festive night arrived, Alexis remained sitting in front of the open fire while the kingdom celebrated their Christmas cheer with their families. Both Mindy and Jasmine looked at the woman, feeling sympathy for her. They both knew that a loved one could die at any moment was the scariest thing in one's life.

A concerned Atticus approached the blonde woman, hoping he'd put a smile on her face.

"Still waiting for him?" Atticus asked as he handed her a cup of hot chocolate.

Alexis nodded and accepted the warm drink. "He said he'd arrive tonight. I hope nothing bad happened to him."

"Ah..don't fret, little sister. I'm sure he's on his way with a bunch of presents just for you!" The older brother reassured. "You're usually so positive of things...I can tell you care a lot for the king." He half joked.

Alexis blushed. "A-Atticus.."

Atticus chuckled at her painfully trying to hide her feelings. "Ah stop it. Even though this is arranged, you're falling for the guy. I can see it on your face."

Alexis placed her hands over her mouth. "Is it really... that obvious?" She wondered. Before the blonde could reply, there was a knock on the door.

"Hey you two, it's me, Jesse! Can I come on? Got a couple of friends with me!" The knight called from the other side.

Alexis blinked. "Huh? Who did Sir Jesse invite?.."

Atticus shrugged. "Maybe Chazz?" He guessed, receiving a glare from Alexis. "I'm kidding, sis. Anyways, come on in!"

The door opened up slowly; first it was Jesse who stepped inside who appears to be holding a couple of presents. "Merry Christmas, you two!" He greeted. "Oh that reminds me...I have a present for you, Alexis."

He then moved out of the way, to allow a certain king into the room. A perfectly healthy Jaden walked in holding a present, causing Alexis's eyes to widen.

"J-Jaden.." she whispered, still in disbelief.

The king grinned as he placed his gift down. "Merry Christmas, Alexis.."

Alexis ran towards him and the king immediately picked her up and spun her around, causing the blonde to laugh. After putting her down, Jaden allowed his hands to travel around her waist while Alexis wrapped hers around his neck before sharing a kiss.

"Never seen you so excited, sis!" Atticus chuckled, instead of punching him like normally, Alexis ignored her brother. She felt so happy, especially seeing that there wasn't a scratch on his face.

"I have brought you some gifts, Alexis. I really hope you like." Said Jaden as he stared into her eyes.

Alexis removed her tears that slowly formed. "I'm sure anything you get me will be wonderful. By the way...where's Yubel? She was with you, wasn't she?"

"I'm glad someone here mentioned me." Said Yubel as she appeared from thin air. "Kaiba Mountains was nothing to sneeze at."

"It was rough, but we got through it." Said Jaden as he hugged his fiancée. Yubel felt a spark of jealousy the moment he touched her again, the fact that the wedding was tomorrow made it worse.

"Should we start opening gifts?" Jesse interrupted the couple.

Jaden chuckled. "Oh right! Well let's start opening gifts, everyone….but first, Merry Christmas!"

"Merry Christmas!" Everyone cheered.

Everyone started to open their presents and exchange thanks towards one another. They drank a bit of wine and ate dessert while talking amongst the campfire. Alexis had her head rested on Jaden's shoulder while he had his arm around her

as they shared a blanket.

"So Jaden...excited for the wedding tomorrow?" Atticus asked. "I know my sister here is thrilled!"

"Atticus, I swear.." Alexis growled.

Jaden smiled. "You bet I am!" He replied, which caused Alexis to calm down. The king held a thumbs up with his available hand. "I promise to be good to her throughout time!"

"You better be, because I'll be living here too." Atticus joked. However Jaden knew he was actually serious, despite their quarrels, it was clear that they siblings adored each other.

"Of course he'll be good!" Alexis defended.

Jesse chuckled. "Yeah, Jay is a good boy. I'm sure the wedding night will be squeaky clean." He added with a wink.

Both Jaden and Alexis blushed deeply, while both Atticus and Jesse laughed. "Now hold on!" Jaden started. "I-we uh-"

Yubel suddenly stood up, feeling her jealousy flare. She had to leave or else things may get ugly; she couldn't bear to think about Jaden having such relations with another woman.

"Yubel, where are you going?" Jaden asked.

"I'm feeling a bit tired from the trip, so I'm going to turn in." The demon replied.

"I actually think Yubel has the right idea." Alexis spoke. "It is getting late and we do have the wedding tomorrow."

Jaden let out a yawn. "Yeah...you're right." The king stood up before helping the blonde woman get up on her feet. "Everyone sleep well, cause we're gonna need it."

However later at night, the king made his way to Alexis's bedroom while holding a small box. He knocked on the door carefully when he arrived. "Alexis? Are you still awake?" He whispered, being mindful of the others.

"Just a minute." Alexis spoke from the other side of the door. Suddenly the door opened, revealing Alexis in her baby blue satin nightgown. "Jaden, what brings you here?" She asked.

The king smiled. "Well...there's something I'd like to give to you. Mind if I come in?"

"Not at all." Replied the knight as she allowed the king to enter her well organized room.

He held out a small box to her. "This was what I wanted to give to you..well, inside the box."

"Well this is definitely a surprise…" Alexis gasped. The box was then opened and Alexis's eyes widened at the sight of gift that was inside. "Oh Jaden...is that…"

"Yes...this necklace was made from a Blue Eyes White Dragon. The man who made the necklace claimed that this very necklace had magical powers. I didn't know if I should believe him, but then again..he was a wizard." Jaden replied. "That is why i went to the mountains, because that's the only place where the dragons lived."

"It's so beautiful…" she spoke in awe. "I've never touched a Blue Eyes before in my life..oh Jaden, thank you!" Alexis then immediately hugged the king, which he gladly returned.

"You're welcome, Alexis.." he spoke. "But it's not as beautiful as my queen.."

She immediately blushed. "Jaden.."

"I only have one simple request.." he spoke. "I only ask...if you would wear it tomorrow at the wedding."

"I'll wear this for the rest of my life.." she replied happily. Immediately the king drew her into a passionate kiss, which she accepted. The two had a passionate clash of tongues as Alexis felt the king's tongue poking her.

The two then made it towards the bed. Alexis got on first before Jaden hovered on top of her. The two continued their kiss as Alexis had her arms around his neck, teasing and running her fingers through the back of his hair. The couple felt themselves sinking in their passion.

The two then broke the kiss. Jaden stared into the eyes of his future queen, his eyes were darkened with lust yet he felt a lot of love. He never felt this way for anyone, yet he had to be clear headed about this. His hand was already at the straps of her gown, clearly knowing what he was about to do.

"Jaden...we shouldn't..at least..not until the wedding night." Alexis spoke.

Jaden nodded and allowed her to sit up. "I'm sorry, Alexis...I just-"

"Why are you saying sorry?" Alexis asked. "I wanted this as badly as you did...I've honestly..never felt his way about a guy before."

"Nor have I felt this way about a woman.."

"But it's tradition..that we wait.."

Jaden gave a small smile. "You're right.." he agreed before kissing her forehead. Alexis then adjusted her straps so that they wouldn't fall off her shoulders.

"I just wish we could get married right now."Said the king.

"But Jaden. I'm not in my wedding dress." Alexis replied. "Let's get some sleep."

Jaden got off the bed and chuckled. "You still look great!" He complimented. "But..you're right, we should sleep. Thank you, Alexis.."

"I should be thanking you.." Alexis spoke. "For everything...including this beautiful necklace. You will definitely be seeing it tomorrow."

Jaden planted a kiss on her lips. "Good.."

"By the way...what kind of powers does it have?" Alexis asked.

"Well..I know the wizard said the powers will only activate when you truly need them, but it's unknown." Said Jaden. "I guess someday you will be the first."

Alexis stared at the necklace. "Yeah…" The blonde woman then focused her gaze to her fiancé. "Anyways, have a good night, my king.."

The king smiled. "You too, Alexis...and...I love you.." he added before slowly closing the door. Alexis immediately blushed at that last comment; this was Jaden's first time of admitting his love for her. He had finally said the "L" word and she heard him clear.

The knight then laid on her bed, preparing for a beautiful slumber and her last day sleeping alone. Tomorrow was their day and she felt ready for it, any doubts she had was cleared up.

"I love you too..Jaden.." she whispered before falling asleep.

To be continued...


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter Nineteen**

The next morning, Jaden managed to wake up earlier than usual. Perhaps he was excited for the big day, perhaps it was the morning sickness from being nervous or possible both. He was served a hearty breakfast before having to prepare for the royal wedding.

"Yubel? Are you there?" Jaden called out.

The demon immediately appeared behind him. "Yes, Jaden?"

"How's the wedding setup?" He asked.

"It's going well, your highness. I'm sure Lady Alexis will adore it." Yubel replied slightly bitterly. Of course she wanted Jaden to be happy, but only in the embrace of Yubel's love for him.

Jaden immediately showered, combined his hair, brushed his teeth, and got dressed in his royal prince attire. Yubel scoffed as she disappeared into thin air. She wondered how important could this one woman be for him to act all nervous.

"Why couldn't I be your bride…" Yubel wondered.

Meanwhile Mindy and Jasmine both assisted Alexis into her wedding dress, preparing her to become the future queen and wife of the king himself. Despite their status, Alexis became friends with the maids; it was nice having some girlfriends to be with.

Alexis admired her long, wedding gown. She reflected on how she had become as a young woman and now she was becoming a queen..she couldn't believe it.

"So are you excited about your special day, Lady Alexis?" Mindy asked as she carefully placed the veil on her.

Alexis nodded. "I feel more than excited, Mindy...I guess I'm ecstatic that this is all happening.."

"You seem way more calm than his majesty was." Jasmine commented.

"Jas!" Mindy scolded.

Alexis smiled. "No it's alright, girls. I can't blame him..I'm a bit nervous myself.."

"Well I'm sure he's gonna fall even more in love with you after tonight." Said Jasmine.

"You think so..?" The blonde woman blushed. Before Jasmine could answer, there was a knock on the door.

"Alexis, it's me. Can I come in?" Atticus asked.

"Sure, come in, Atti." Alexis responded, wondering what his reaction would be. The brother slowly entered as he wore his blue tux with pride. He was awestruck at the sight of his sister wearing a beautiful wedding dress. It was like she was becoming a woman before his eyes, and Atticus couldn't have been more proud.

"So what do you think?" Alexis asked her brother.

"You look beautiful, Lex!" Atticus praised. He could remember holding his sister in his arms for the first time like it was yesterday. "Wow...just wow..Jaden's gonna love this! Man..if only mom and dad were here.."

The siblings both embraced, "I'm sure they are watching us.." said Alexis, trying not to tear up.

"And I'm sure they're more than proud of you." Atticus added. The two released their embrace before Alexis puts on the necklace Jaden gave her last night. They all headed to the wedding ceremony, feeling optimistic about the future.

Meanwhile as the crowds filled up, Jaden felt himself feeling sick from the pressure he had being the groom. He stood in front of thousands of people before, yet this time he felt completely nervous of what would happen.

"Jess, I think I'm going to be sick." Jaden muttered.

"It's just anxiety." Jesse replied. "It'll be over before you know it."

"He's right." Yubel agreed. "Jaden, you mustn't panic on this "special" day."

The king sighed. "Right...thanks guys. At least I know we have each other." He replied, hoping he wouldn't throw up on stage. Suddenly the trumpets played and his heart started to pound when he saw Alexis in her stunning wedding dress.

"This is it..this is it…" Jaden mentally chanted. "She's so beautiful.."

As Alexis was being escorted down the aisle by Atticus, Jaden noticed the shiny gem that dangled from her necklace that he gave her. Seeing that she kept her word and proudly wore that necklace made Jaden be at ease a lot more. Judging by Alexis's smile, she felt the same way.

Atticus then gave his sister to the king, but after the siblings hugged of course. Once they were finished, Jaden carefully took her hand, escorted her on top if the stairs and in front of the priest.

"You're so beautiful…" Jaden whispered into her ear. Alexis smiled at him, wanting him so badly to kiss her right now.

The priest cleared his throat before beginning the ceremony. The service was a bit simple, nothing extra was needed. They both said their vows and such. Alexis wondered why the ceremony went by quickly, however those thoughts disappeared when it was time for the kiss.

"I present to you...our king and our newest queen of Duelist Kingdom! You may now kiss the bride!" The priest spoke.

The couple both looked into each other's eyes, knowing the next step. Jaden grinned as he dipped his bride and kissed her deeply. Alexis instantly returned the passionate kiss as everyone cheered for their success. However there were some who were against this union, especially Sir Chazz and Lady Blair, but the two kept their mouths shut in order not to embarrass themselves and their families once again.

Both Jesse and Atticus smiled proudly at the couple, wishing them the best of blessings on their future.

Jaden scooped up his bride and carried her down the aisle. Alexis laughed at this gesture before kissing her new husband on the cheek. Food was served, there was entertainment, and of course..the king and queen got to share a dance before the huge wedding cake that was served. Even Chazz and Blair managed to have a little fun, however only one person sat alone in the distance.

She watched her king and his beautiful queen both wave at the people from the balcony. The two snuck a couple of kisses from each other, showing their new love and warm embrace.

Yubel squeezed her glass cup until the glass splattered all over hand. Seeing Jaden with the one he loved in his arms, made the demon fume with jealousy.

"Jaden...why won't you love me?! That cursed Dragon's soul...I can feel it in my bones...it's making me go even crazy for him..." she scoffed before disappearing into thin air.

To be continued…


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter Twenty**

(A/N: There will be a mild lemon, but nothing explicit to stay under the rating. Take a wild guess of what couples do after the wedding…)

King Jaden sighed in relief as he entered the chamber along with Alexis. The wedding was definitely better than expected; the ceremony went well, the food was delicious, the entertainment was fun, and of course the dance between the royal couple was magical. Most of the room had misty eyes as they celebrated the new queen.

Jaden made sure he had to thank the people of the kingdom for the wedding and support, but not before thanking his gorgeous bride in his arms.

It was now dark outside yet the room was still lit up. The chamber contained a large king sized bed, a fireplace, gorgeous paintings on the wall, and a large rug made from pure Kuribabylon fur. There were also different types of oils, just incase the couple needed to get in the mood. However both Jaden and Alexis knew they wouldn't have too much trouble doing so.

"They really set this up for us..?" Alexis asked gazing all over the room.

Jaden nodded. "Of course. I hope you like it, Lexi.." he replied.

Alexis smiled at that nickname, it made her feel way different than when others called her that. The two sat on the bed, wondering what to do next.

"So...what do you wanna do?" Jaden asked.

"I um...don't know.." Alexis replied. "I thought we were going to.."

"R-right.." Jaden stuttered. It was their first time, how could they not be nervous? Jaden remember a few things from the "talk" and pleasing a woman, however he never put that in action. The brown haired man scanned the room, he had to think of something to ease the nerves.

He suddenly stopped at the oils and had an idea. It may help the both of them, but especially Alexis. "Hey...want me to rub your back? You know to..ease the tension."

Alexis blinked, maybe Jaden was onto something, which made her even more curious. "Sure, I'd love a back rub, Jaden."

The king nodded and got up to grab some oils. He then retrieved them and stood in front of his queen. "I'll let you smell them so that you can pick the one you chose."

Alexis nodded her head and the king placed a few different oils close to her nose to sniff. The blonde woman chose the lavender scent oil. She felt ready for the back rub, but before laying on her stomach...Alexis loosened her wedding dress, allowing it to slightly slip off and reveal nearly her whole bare back. Her face looked so innocent which made the king blush even more.

"Oh man…" Jaden gasped mentally.

After admiring his wife for a bit, he carefully started to use the oil and massage her back. He didn't want to hurt her, however he had to press a bit on her back to ease the tension.

A soft moan escaped the blonde's pink, lush lips. "O-oh Jaden..that feels fantastic..a little harder please.."

"O-okay.." The king obeyed and pressed a bit harder with his thumb. Another moan escaped her lips, which made Jaden feel turned on. If she felt good, then he knew he did his job right.

"You've got skill.." Alexis complimented. "We'll have to do this more often."

Jaden smiled before kissing the back of her neck carefully. Alexis gasped and smiled, turning around so she was now laying on her back.

"Want me to do the front?" The king asked his bride. She nodded, which gave him the answer. The king began to press softly on her neck, using his fingers to gently massage her. He continued for a bit until the king decided to do something way more daring.

Jaden leaned down, carefully leaving small kisses on her neck. The blonde woman released another moan as she wrapped her arms around her head, running her fingers through his thick hair.

"Oh Jaden...just like that.." said Alexis.

"Mmm.." The king muttered as he started kissing all over her, especially at more sensitive spots for her. This led to the moment they both have longed to do to each other for some time. Sweet, passionate love was made on this very special night, celebrating the king and his queen.

Meanwhile Yubel sensed Jaden's emotions and they were none she's ever felt before. It was clear that Jaden was in love with the blonde woman, despite her commoner status. The duel monster remembered the time when they were children bathing together, eating together, laughing and playing. It was just the two of them with a dream and no one could stop them. Yet now this woman shows up and Jaden shifted his attention towards her.

After being infused with the Dragon's Soul and turning into a woman, Yubel felt more and more obsessed with the king, despising any beautiful woman who came his way. Even though Jaden never showed an interest in girls, all that changed when he became friends with the knight as she had the same ideas as him.

"Why?! Why won't you love me Jaden?!" She shrieked.

Yubel had no chance with the one she wanted, which led her to continuously despise Alexis.

"Lady Alexis...all hail the queen? How cute...you can go to hell..." Yubel muttered before disappearing into thin air.

To be continued…


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter: Twenty One**

After the glorious wedding and the long night the newlyweds shared, Jaden was the first to awaken. He let out a yawn, trying to not disturb the sleeping beauty he could now call his wife. He gazed over to a nude Alexis, smiling at her in admiration.

"Can't believe we...did it.." the king reflected from last night. He then gave his wife a kiss on her cheek before getting up from bed in order to grab a shirt. However Alexis started to awake from her slumber, releasing a soft yawn and opening her hazel eyes.

"Good morning, Jaden.." she whispered.

Jaden turned around, seeing his wife smiling brightly. "Good morning, Lexi.." he greeted as he approached her. "I'm sorry if I woke you.."

Alexis shook her head. "I wanted to get up when you got up." She reassured.

"By the way..you were amazing last night." He winked.

Alexis blushed, releasing a laugh. "Oh you weren't bad yourself, my king. It was all pure pleasure."

The king decided to join back into bed, pulling Alexis in an unexpected passionate kiss which she gladly returned. The young couple began to slowly make out, competing for dominance. While Jaden liked to take control, Alexis was not one to back down however even she felt so submissive eventually in the kiss.

After pulling away slowly with their heads still touching each other's, the king whispered. "You know…we could stay here for a while…"

Alexis arched her eyebrow. "Oh? What about breakfast?" She joked.

The king chuckled. "We could always eat here. Besides, I'm not ready to go back out there."

"Hmm? To avoid responsibility?" The blonde woman questioned, slightly pinching his cheek.

"Well that but..what's wrong with a man wanting to spend time with his wife? I mean, we just got married you know." The king replied.

Alexis giggled at his playful nature. "I'm just kidding, dear. Of course I want to stay with you." She replied before the couple engaged in another kiss, basking in each other's presence.

When the afternoon arrived, the couple got dressed and prepared for the remainder of the day. They headed to the dining room where they met Atticus for a meal.

"Good afternoon, Atticus!" Jaden greeted as he held his wife's hand.

Atticus turned around and saw his sister and new brother in law. He gave them a bright smile, immediately grabbing the king before giving him a large bear hug.

"My king, you may now call me your brother!" Atticus replied. "You are my sister's husband after all and I know you'll care for her!"

"I-I got it!" Jaden muttered as he was choking.

"Atticus, that's enough. Let go of him!" Alexis ordered.

The brother released the king, feeling embarrassed about nearly choking him. "Hehe...I apologize, your highness. Guess I don't know my own strength."

Alexis sighed. "Oh Atty...why don't we all just sit down."

"I think that'd be a great idea...my love." Said Jaden. His soft passionate eyes made the blonde woman smile and flush at the same time to the point where she didn't care if Atticus teased her. The three made it to the table and sat down. Both Mindy and Jasmine began to serve the three delicious sandwiches for lunch.

Out of curiosity, Mindy whispered to the queen. "Your majesty? Was he….gentle?" She whispered.

Alexis nodded. "Yes, he made sure to be careful...the king is definitely very "kind" to me." She replied.

Mindy and Jasmine squealed, before composing themselves. The king wondered what Alexis said and why his maids squealed, but his attention was soon shifted towards the food. However he tried to not scarf it down, due to sharing with his wife and brother in law.

Atticus took his first bite of a sandwich. "Mmm..give my compliments to the chef!" He joked before looking at the couple. "So you two, what's your next step?"

"Next step?" Alexis repeated.

Atticus nodded. "I mean...don't royal couples usually start trying for...kids?" He asked.

Jaden then swallowed his food before answering. "Well usually...I mean..yeah. My parents had me when they were around our age..actually younger." He started as he shifted his gaze at Alexis. "To tell you the truth..after that night we had..may lead to a baby.."

"Yes, you're right..but we'll have to see in time." The blonde woman added. "So you may have a little niece or nephew."

Atticus grinned, thinking about his life as an uncle spoiling his future youngsters. "About time, right?!"

"Watch it, Atticus." Alexis muttured.

"Alexis is right. We'll have to see in time." Jaden agreed. "In the meantime, we'll have to get used to being a married couple but I'm sure we'll have amazing children!"

After lunch, Atticus left the couple alone as he headed in another part of the castle to play instruments. Meanwhile the new king and queen walked side by side, heading to their shared master bedroom.

Alexis then frowned as she reflected on something that's been bothering her. Sure many people would love a new prince or princess running around. However she wasn't blind, she knew Yubel had some sort of thing against her. The blonde woman couldn't put her finger on it, but she was never really welcomed by the demon.

"Jaden?" She started, grabbing her husband's attention. "Do you think Yubel will..love our children as well?" She asked, causing them to stop walking.

The king blinked. "Why wouldn't Yubel love our children? We grew up together so I'm sure she'll see them as her own."

"It's just...well…"

Jaden interrupted her by carefully lifting her chin as he looked into her eyes. "Hey, no need to worry...Yubel's going to love our children and care for them. I'm sure of it." He sincerely spoke.

The blonde woman smiled and kissed Jaden on the cheek. "Do you think Yubel will find love someday?" Alexis asked.

Jaden chuckled. "Of course, she's a great person. Maybe you can set her up with someone maybe?" He asked. "I'm not really good with this kind of stuff."

"Oh, I'm as clueless as you are...maybe less so." Alexis added, playfully smirking. "Although I'm sure Atticus might help."

"I'm sure he could." The king agreed before taking both of her hands carefully. "Alexis...I promise..to the kingdom and to us, that things will definitely be changing for the better. We will turn the world into a place perfect for all of us."

"And the dead will be reunited with the living...we could have no more violence...no lies..no suffering.." Alexis continued, her face said it all as she exuded hope.

"Right after we find the Keys..and control the Sacred Beasts...the gods of our world." He spoke before the couple returned to their room, both holding hands on the way there. While they only had the two keys, the king felt his idea coming near and nobody would dare get in the way.

To be continued…


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter Twenty Two**

As time flew by, it was confirmed that Queen Alexis was pregnant with the future royal baby. While the news spread out and brought joy to the people, Alexis remained a low profile out of her choice. This was for protection over herself and the baby; meanwhile the king made sure to stay closely most of the time. Since his wife was having a baby, Jaden felt himself becoming more protective over those he cared for.

One of the steps he took was to become a good king and surround himself with helpful, loyal people.

Then a young, healthy baby boy was born to the royals. The royal couple felt blessed that they could create such a beautiful gift of life, promising to care for the baby.

As tradition, Alexis mostly stayed with her child while the prince focused on matters to attend. The baby's name was finally announced as "Tidus", which received praise all over.

While most of the lords and their families were in the royal court, Lady Blair of the Flannigan family snuck out. She was now a teenager, rather than a tween girl. Her hair was still at waist length while she wore a bright pink dress.

The young girl scurried across the halls, but then heard humming coming from a door. She figured it could be the queen humming a lullaby for her baby. Before Blair could knock on the door, she was soon stopped by a tall, stylish woman with short red hair, grey eyes and wore a blue dress.

"Our Queen is in there with her baby. She is not to be disturbed, young lady." The woman warned as she grabbed her hand.

Blair snatched her hand away from the older woman. "Do you know who I am?!" She challenged. "I'm Blair Flannigan of the Flannigan name! We served the king for generations so I have every right to be here!"

"And do you know who I am?!" The older woman scolded. "I'm Lady Fonda Fontaine, the royal tutor...and I advise you, young lady to hurry along before I have you thrown out!"

Suddenly the door opened, which revealed the queen. "Shhh, the baby is sleeping." Alexis warned.

Blair took a look at the queen as this was her first time this close to her. Alexis was in an elegant maroon gown and the necklace she was given from the king himself. She also wore faint, pink lipstick.

Blair took note of how beautiful she was, perhaps the king was the lucky one in the relationship. The young girl also took note that the queen was quite...busty.

"Oh..we..apologize, my queen.." said Fonda as Blair nodded quietly.

The blonde woman smiled a bit at the young Flannigan girl. "So what brings you here? I don't think we've properly met but I have seen you around before."

Before answering, Blair nervously cleared her throat. "I-I'm..Blair Flannigan, daughter of Lord Flannigan, your highness...I just wanted to see the baby for myself.."

Alexis nodded and allowed her inside, much to Fonda's chargin, however the redhead decided to move onto other matters in the castle.

The room was spacious, had a nice large window and was perfectly safe for a baby. Blair followed the queen to the crib, where a small baby boy with a small patch of blonde hair slept.

"Decided not to attend the meeting?" Blair asked.

"I prefer to stay away from that mess, I'm not in the mood to deal with some of the snarky comments from the court...Besides, my baby needs me a lot more." Said the blonde woman.

"Please sit." Alexis offered. Blair nodded and sat at one chair while Alexis took the other chair across from her.

"He's really beautiful.." Blair complimented. "Will he be your only child? Or will you bless with the kingdom with more?"

"Well, we haven't thought that far.." Alexis admitted truthfully. "What about yourself? Are you with anyone right now?"

"Well.." The blue haired girl started. "I'm now engaged to Lord Marcel of the Bonaparte family. He had been courting me a short while after the royal wedding. He's shy..but a really nice guy. I'm very lucky."

A smile appeared on the blonde's lips. "Well congratulations, you two. I pray for nothing but good endeavors."

"Thank you, your highness." Blair replied with a shy smile. "May I...ask you something?"

"Go on."

"Well..I'm sorry for being nosy, but I was wondering where the rest of your family was? I mean...the only one I saw was your brother walking you down the aisle." Said Blair.

"It's okay." Alexis replied. "And my parents were murdered years ago, so it's just been me and Atticus until I met the king."

The young girl gasped. "O-oh..I'm so sorry for your loss...did the military find out who killed them? I don't think I remember news about the Rhodes family…"

"Well..I'm sure they would've searched, if my family were of high class." Alexis explained.

Blair was hesitant about this information, this woman was a Knight of Dragon but she didn't come from high class? She had to be a commoner then, the direct opposite of those of Blair's family.

"So..you're a commoner?" Blair whispered, Alexis nodded her head. "Does his majesty know?"

"Of course. Ever since the day we met he knew." Alexis replied. "He took it well...in fact he treated me and my brother with kindness."

"I lost to a commoner?! The king brought up a commoner as his bride?! The mother of future royalty?! He could've picked me! Our children would've been the ideal of blue bloods.." the girl mentally scolded. "Does he have any idea of how influential my family is…"

Blair stood up without a word, prompting Alexis's concern. "Is there something wrong?" Alexis asked.

"I have to get home, my parents are expecting me." Blair lied, feeling uncomfortable that the king chose Alexis over any noble's daughter. "If you will excuse me..i must end my stay.." The young girl bowed before leaving the room, hiding any trace of frustration, anger, and sadness on her.

"How could he?! He could he choose HER?!" Blair panicked as she ran out of sight.

Meanwhile Jaden reunited with his wife and son, shortly after the meeting. He smiled brightly at the most important people of his life. "You have me all to yourself now." He grinned as he embraced his wife and kissed her lips. "No word on any Spirit Keys however.."

Alexis immediately returned those gestures happily. "Oh? Was the meeting that bad?" She playfully asked.

Jaden chuckled, "You know I hate those things no matter what. I was just dying to see you again." He admitted. "And our Tidus of course, how is he?"

Alexis looked over at the crib with a smile. "He's been resting which is good." She replied.

The king sighed, rubbing the back of his head. While Jaden got along with his infant son, it was hard for him to do some of the harder work that needed to happen for a baby. Fortunately his wife at least seemed to know what she was doing. He had a new found respect for her especially after the pregnancy.

"How do you do it, Lex?"' He asked. "He never sleeps when I'm around.

The queen placed her hands on her hips. "Practice." She smirked.

To be continued..


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter Twenty Three**

"I bet you can't catch me, sis!" A young boy called out.

"Hey, slow down, big brother!" Replied a young girl running behind the boy.

Two children chased each other inside the royal garden, laughing and having fun as all children should. One was a boy with short dark blonde hair, lightly tanned skin, and hazel eyes dressed as if he were of high class. He was Tidus, the first born now seven years of age. He was definitely more reckless, a tad rude but quite loyal to those he loved.

The other child was a girl with long bright orange hair, hazel eyes, and had a more milky fair skin tone like her mother. She was dressed in an elegant gown made for her size. Her name was Amy, daughter of King Jaden and Queen Alexis of Duelist Kingdom. She was more calm yet naive, however she was the kindest little girl anyone could meet. She chased after the boy, using her small stature to try to keep up with him.

"You're too fast, Tidus! Slow down!" Amy called out, running out of breath.

The young boy continued to run while looking back at his sister. "You just need to go faster!"

Both were being watched by their mother Alexis, who sat on a chair on the sidelines. Next to the queen as a small child with long indigo hair in a ponytail held by a yellow ribbon, green eyes, and wore a long, flowing black and purple dress. She was a beautiful girl yet she was always so serious looking, which wasn't considered normal for a young child. She seemed tense and focused most of the time, which caused her to have little to no interaction with people.

Her name was Celina, in the past she was transferred to the castle for a lady in waiting position, under Queen Alexis. It wasn't by choice, but through expectations as her role of high status. However Celina had her own dream that was much bigger than what was expected to be.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Alexis spoke, grabbing the girl's attention.

"I just wonder how they could have so much fun.." Celina admitted, not seeing the point in having fun when there's evil in the world. Then again you're pretty much guarded when you're children of the king.

The blonde woman smiled. "Children have a simpler way of thinking. They don't see things for what they really are. I guess we've blinded them into believing that everything is fun and perfect."

"I'm not like other children, your highness." Celina sternly defended.

"Which is why I'm sure you'd make a good Knight of Dragon." Alexis replied.

The girl's eyes widened, feeling slightly embarrassed. She had never told anyone about that, not even the queen. "How did you…"

"You tend to talk in your naps." The blonde woman simply replied. "Besides, don't think I've never seen you spar in privacy. Sometimes I see things the king misses. It was easy to put together."

"W-well then..I suppose you found out about my goal. Yes, I do want to be a Knight of Dragon like yourself. I've looked up to you since who knows how long." Celina admitted. "Is that so wrong, your majesty? To have dreams?"

The queen placed her hand on the young girl's shoulder. Fortunately it was the queen, because if it were someone else, Celina would've probably hit them for touching her. However she felt safe around Alexis, like she was a big sister or motherly figure she never had.

"I believe in reaching your goals...doing whatever it takes." Alexis replied, reflecting on her own plan with her husband. She looked at her children, both were so energetic and full of life. It was decided to keep them hidden and ignorant of the world until they were old enough to understand their plan.

"Mother, can we go to the forest and look at duel monsters?" Princess Amy called out. "It would be so cool to find some rare ones!"

"Yeah! I wanna find a Red Eyes Black Dragon this time!" Said Tidus.

"Not without Uncle Jesse." Alexis spoke. Their biological uncle Atticus left the castle a couple of years ago to pursue an entertainment job, however he'd visit the children from time to time. It was a good thing they had Jesse however, who was considered a brother to the king rather than a servant. While Yubel was considered family to Jaden, she seemed as if she wanted nothing to do with Alexis nor her children. In fact, Yubel became noticeably distant from the royal family and always made excuses to leave.

"Sir Jesse is currently out for a while, your highness." Celina reminded.

Alexis sighed. "Oh that's right..well, if your father is not busy-"

"Thanks mom!" The children both cheered before running off to go and find King Jaden. She was sure the kids would be fine and that Jaden would take care of them while they went out looking for some duel monsters. Of course, they both agreed to take them around the more tamer monsters.

However the kids loved the Duel Monsters and even begged their parents to get them a Blue Eyes White Dragon as a pet. While that wasn't durable, they did plan on getting a Duel Monster for a pet, like a Winged Kuriboh maybe to spoil them.

"Let's go inside, while my husband has the kids, we can spend time together on our own." Alexis suggested towards Celina. The young girl nodded and decided to walk back into the castle and away from the garden behind the queen.

"On a serious note..do you wish to serve your kingdom?" Alexis asked the girl. "Do you wish to serve King Jaden? Do you wish to serve me even..?"

"I wouldn't be born here if I weren't meant to serve it!" Celina answered. "and that's what I plan to do."

"She has so much spirit..reminds me of when I was young..after my parents died.." Alexis noted mentally. "Even if she's a child..it'd be nice to see what she's truly capable of, even Jaden would agree on this.."

Meanwhile Yubel spied on the queen from the corner, as she watched them the whole time. In her view, Alexis had it all...love, beauty, power, beloved children and a royal platform. She was also adored by the kingdom not only due to her past, but because she was an ideal wife and mother with a rebellious side to her of course.

For the demon, she wanted to change the world...a world where only she and Jaden could exist without no other soul in the world, especially not Alexis, whom she despised.

Yubel gave a small, callous giggle before flying towards the blonde, landing in front of her before she could enter the living room. This startled Alexis and Celina mildly, however they tried to keep their composure.

"Well hello, my queen, wonderful day isn't it?" Yubel greeted.

"Yubel, you startled me.." Alexis replied.

The demon giggled. "Just a little prank, my queen. Nothing but good fun."

"Yeah well there's no time for pranks!" Celina called out. Before Yubel could say anything rude towards the young girl that would piss her off even more, Alexis stepped in and eased the situation.

"Listen, I want to know what's with the change of mood?" Alexis asked bluntly.

"Change of mood?" The demon asked perplexed.

"Ever since the birth of my first born...no..ever since I moved here..you've been distant towards us...towards Jaden..and me." Alexis spoke. "I would think you had some sort of hate towards me..you know since you grew up with my husband."

Yubel frowned. "Yes..I have to admit..and it is wrong of me to do. You've been nothing but kind to me, so I'd like to assist you."

"Assist me?"

The demon nodded. "Princess Amy's birthday is coming soon and I'd like to be part of the planning. Besides, I am her "aunt" and it'll give me time to bond with you, my queen."

Alexis was baffled at the demon's words. "I don't know what to say…"

"Just say you'll meet me at midnight at the courtroom. Just you and me." Yubel offered

"And why not with Jaden?" The blonde woman asked.

Yubel chuckled. "Even Jaden admitted he knows squat about girls. Besides, he will pay for the expenses, I just want us to bond while we plan for your little girl's birthday."

The blonde woman nodded after giving it some thought. Perhaps Yubel has changed, she wouldn't have approached her first if she didn't care. Maybe the demon really did love her adopted niece and nephew and accepted her sister in law.

"Then we will meet in the courtroom tonight at midnight.." Alexis agreed as they shook hands. "I'll make sure nobody else attends."

"Your majesty!" Celina gasped.

"That's an order, Celina." Alexis sternly finalized. "Besides, you shouldn't be staying up that late."

Celina could only bow respectfully, however she still didn't feel right about Yubel. Although once the queen finalized something, it was to be obeyed…

Or was it?

To be continued...


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter Twenty Four**

She kissed her children goodnight, she shared a passionate embrace with her husband. Alexis made sure her family fell asleep before heading to the courtroom at midnight.

"Is anyone here?!" Alexis called out. The room was dark and quiet, like there were no living things alive. The blonde woman began to walk down a fleet on stairs, only to be stopped by a bright light.

Alexis immediately shielded her eyes until it dimmed lightly. There was Yubel with a smirk as she tapped her foot impatiently.

"Well well well, there you are." Said the demon. "I'm glad you could make it."

"So…" The blonde woman started. "Are you ready to help plan my daughter's birthday? I was thinking we could do an underwater theme."

"Actually...I lied." Yubel admitted. "I have no interest in your child's birthday."

"What? Then why did you-"

"Easy, I wanted to talk to you about Jaden and your relationship with him..." Said the demon. Alexis only froze, why would Yubel lie to her just to talk about her relationship with Jaden?

"He loves you, you know…" Yubel spoke with venom in her voice. "You two have grown so close...gotten so intimate. All the king would talk about is you and his children, and how you changed his life. Of course...he was always so naive to think that..such a pity, but then again..it's Jaden."

"Yes we do love each other." Alexis confirmed. "Not a day goes by where I don't feel loved by him...but why are you speaking nonsense on how naive he is? He is happy!"

The demon smirked. "Because like all tales...it was the woman who misleads the man."

Suddenly the doors opened before Mindy and Jasmine entered inside. "Your majesty! What are you doing here this late?!"

Alexis turned around, ignoring the question. "I told you two nobody is to enter!" She scolded.

Yubel growled and immediately pulled out a gun, shooting the queen before anyone could react. Alexis gasped as she felt a bullet pierce her chest before falling onto the floor, bleeding all over herself.

Both Mindy and Jasmine gasped, their eyes were as wide as saucers. They couldn't believe Yubel murdered the queen right in front of them. Before they could panic, Yubel immediately shot the maids as well to cover her tracks by hiding the witnesses.

The demon stood triumphantly, she wanted to celebrate the fall of Queen Alexis. The woman who "stole" her Jaden, the one whom she despised. As much as she wanted to celebrate, she decided to move onto the next stage of her plan.

"Stage one is complete." Yubel informed as she spoke through her walkie talkie. "Let's commence stage two, but get rid of the maids' bodies and leave the queen here. Then you can put the princess under her mother's corpse, we must make it look like she was protecting her under a Terrorist attack!"

A bunch of men infiltrated the castle, taking away the corpses of the maids. Yubel felt ecstatic, she was close to her dream. A world with nobody but herself and Jaden.

Meanwhile Alexis's hazel eyes were opened as she felt death approaching. She laid there silent, breathing her last moments.

"So this is how I go out.." Alexis thought mentally. "Such a shame I didn't see that coming...I didn't listen to my intuition. Now she'll take all that I love..I won't get to complete our dream...I won't get to see my dear children…"

Suddenly her eyes drifted to a young girl hiding behind a vase. That girl was Celina, who spied on Yubel the whole time and disobeyed the queen. However Celina looked rather scared...but who wouldn't be at this situation. The one she respected and admired was murdered right in front of her.

The Blue Eyes White Dragon necklace that was given by Jaden started to glow an aura of blue. It must've been dim enough for Yubel not to have notice, but it did cause Alexis to recall something important.

"This necklace has magic.." she recalled. "I remember Jaden speaking about this...I can feel it..it's calling to me.."

The blonde woman looked at a traumatized Celina. "I may have to use her after all...her body will be useful in getting around..however I will have to keep undercover from my husband..and my children...at least until the time comes...then I'll have a new body.."

The queen's eyes started glowing as she stared into Celina's eyes, her vulnerable eyes which made her an easy target. Alexis was about to make Celina into her living puppet. If the girl promised herself into serving her kingdom...then Alexis could only take advantage of this. That necklace transferred Alexis's soul into Celina.

Now that Alexis had a brand new body , the young girl's memories were now controlled by the queen herself, it was like she was a whole new person.

"This will have to do for now.." Alexis spoke mentally as she watched Yubel create a false murder scene, not only with her dead body but with her sleeping daughter..who was put under a sleeping spell until morning. "When I get a brand new body..and reunite with my family..that imp Yubel is going to pay dearly…but I will help our dream become the reality..I just have to."

To be continued...


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter Twenty Five**

"The queen...she's really dead?!" said one of the noble men.

"Who would do such an awful thing?" A woman cried.

"It looks like she's been shot! There could be terrorists among us!" A man declared.

Scattered whispers of the panicked court filled the room as they stared at the perished body of Queen Alexis. Everyone stood in shock, especially a traumatized Princess Amy who woke up under the corpse of her dead mother and Tidus, who stood at staircase with rage and sadness.

"N-no...m-mother...how could this happen?...W-Who would do such a thing t-to h-her..." Tidus stuttered as tears ran down his cheeks.

The palace guards made sure keep the novels away from the crime scene as they investigated to find any clues of terrorists. Judging by Amy found under her dead mother, people easily assumed that Queen Alexis was protecting her daughter from any sort of threat, sacrificing herself in the process.

Why wouldn't they believe that? Alexis was known to be an ideal mother throughout the kingdom. She was kind, smart, and fiercely protective of her children. Especially since the nobel women were jealous of her, in which some tried to harass her children.

She was respected by most, even by her enemies and especially by her family.

The guards carefully removed the queen's corpse from the Princess's fragile body. Amy immediately ran towards her brother, jumping into his arms in tears despite having blood on her nightgown.

"Oh brother, she's dead! Mother is dead!" The young girl cried.

"Amy…" Tidus whispered, stroking her hair to comfort. "Did you see what happened?"

The little girl wiped her tears and shook her head. "All I remember was waking up from under mother...seeing her dead...I don't even know how I got out from my bed…"

"...Stay here with Lady Fontaine."

The crowned prince released his sister before storming out in anger. The court faced the boy as he moved through the crowd, chatting amongst themselves.

"My prince, where are you going?!" Fonda called out.

"This is my business!" Tidus snapped at the older woman, leaving her speechless. Fonda had never seen the prince this upset before, however he did just lose his mother. So she decided to stay behind with Amy, leaving the boy to take care of his business.

"Father...how could you not have protected her?!" The prince questioned mentally. "I'm gonna find out...I'm gonna get to the bottom of this…"

To be continued…


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter Twenty Six**

Tidus marched into the dining hall, figuring his father would be there due to the presence of guards. As soon as he entered, he found his old man staring out the window silently as Jesse accompanied him.

Jesse turned around hearing the prince enter the room. "My prince!" He exclaimed. "What are you doing here? Where is your sister?"

"She is with Lady Fontaine, however I am here to speak with fath- the king himself.." Tidus replied bitterly.

Jesse nodded and stepped away from the father and son, preceding to watch what Tidus would say to him.

Tidus could only see his father's back turned, presumably from the death of his wife and the mother of his children; or could it be Jaden was afraid to face his son's anger and sadness, at least that's what Tidus believed.

"Where were you when the assassination took place?!" Tidus demanded. However Jaden still refused to turn around and face his son. The king wondered if Tidus was trying to accuse him of something.

The boy clenched his fists tightly before speaking up. "You could've protected her! Now you have your own daughter terrified of what she witnessed! She was under mother's CORPSE! The royal castle is supposedly the safest place for years….yet the kingdom has lost its own queen?!...You lied to me and Amy that you'd protect us..." The boy ranted. "You...you lied to MOTHER!"

"Think what you will!" Jaden replied rather darkly at the fact his son was even speaking to him like such. Both Tidus and even Jesse felt startled at the king's change of tone.

The king then faced his son, giving him the most intense glare ever witnessed; even his eyes changed into a more goldish tone which showed his anger. It was something no one had ever seen, not even his family and closest allies have witnessed.

"You think you can talk that way to the one who gave you food, shelter, the clothes in your back?! This kingdom?! The title you call prince?!"

"Jay, plea-" Jesse spoke up, trying to empathize with both father and son. They both lost someone dear, so of course there may be some tension and stress.

"Silence." Jaden interrupted. The king hesitated as he looked at his only son, his eldest child. Jaden had always loved his children, he admired their cleverness, their competitive nature, how kind they were...they were the true product of the love he had for Queen Alexis. It was like they reminded the king that there was a reason to change the world...and make it a perfect place for them. While he didn't spend as much time with them, Jaden would take little notes of how his children would develop and it made him proud to be a father.

However he'd now have to make a huge decision since there was a murderer...a decision that would involve his children. Even though his plan was still in action, it was far from completion. He would reunite with the dead...and his children would have their mother again.

"Now that I have you here, I should tell that you and your sister will no longer stay here." Said Jaden as he then watched the widened eyes of his shocked son.

"Your majesty, they're your children!" Jesse interrupted, only to be silenced by the king.

"What…What are you saying?" Tidus asked.

"You will be sent away, far from this place into someone else's care." The king explained bluntly. "Both you and your sister will be leaving tonight.."

To be continued…


End file.
